| Union Watersphere | |
|---|---|
 At one time painted blue, the watersphere is a greyish white and emblazoned with UNION | |
 | |
| Alternative names | Union Water Tower |
| General information | |
| Type | Water tower |
| Town or city | Union, New Jersey |
| Country | United States |
| Coordinates | 40°41′36″N 74°15′43″W / 40.693274°N 74.262046°W |
| Construction started | 1964 |
| Cost | $89,500 |
| Height | 212 ft (65 m) |
| Website | |
| http://www.worldstallestwatersphere.com/ | |
The Union Watersphere, also known as the Union Water Tower, is a water tower topped with a sphere-shaped water tank in Union, New Jersey, United States[1] and characterized as the World's Tallest Water Sphere.[2]
Adjacent to U.S. Route 22, New Jersey Route 82, and the Garden State Parkway, the iconic tower has been a landmark since its construction. The tower was originally commissioned the Elizabethtown Water Company and is now owned by American Water.[3] Standing 212 ft (65 m) tall, it was originally built in 1964 by Chicago Bridge and Iron Company at the cost of $89,500 and holds 250,000 US gallons (950,000 L) of well water. Due to its proximity to an airport, at the request of the Federal Aviation Administration, a red stroboscopic beacon was constructed atop the tower in 2008, adding 6 ft (1.8 m) of height.[2][4] The pedestal is used as a telecommunications tower.[5]
The tower is painted a grey-white. In the past it has been painted blue with the name of the town in large letters across the sphere.[6] Its location at a major intersection of some of the state's busiest roads, and proximity to Newark Liberty International Airport, affords millions of people each year a view of the structure.[6][7] A museum dedicated to the watersphere is located in Austin, Texas and is operated by a former Union resident.[7][8] Another famous sphere, sometimes called the world's largest light bulb, is located nearby at the Edison Memorial Tower.[9][10]
- ^ Westerggaard, Barbara, New Jersey A guide to the state, Rutgers University Press, ISBN 0-8135-3685-5
- ^ a b Rose, Lisa (February 22, 2012), "Despite challenge, Union Township water tower remains a Jersey landmark", The Star-Ledger, retrieved 2012-02-21
- ^ "The Monument vs. The World's Tallest Water Sphere". An Englishman in New Jersey. February 21, 2009. Retrieved 2012-02-24.
- ^ "Frequently Asked Questions". World's Tallest Water Sphere. worldstallestwatersphere.com/. August 5, 2006. Retrieved 2012-02-22.
- ^ Freak, Flag (April 27, 2008). "Water Sphere Union, NJ". sketchup.google.com. Retrieved 2012-12-24.
- ^ a b Becker, Dan (2005). "World's Tallest Water Sphere Union, NJ". www.danbecker.info. Retrieved 2012-02-24.
- ^ a b "Towering Achievement", Weird NJ (#32), 2009, retrieved 2012-02-22
- ^ Donohue, Brian (January 15, 2009), "Ledger Live: Union tower stands as world's tallest water sphere", The Star-Ledger, retrieved 2012-02-22
- ^ Rawlings, Nate (July 28, 2010). "World's Largest Light Bulb; Edison, NJ". Top 50 American Roadside Attractions. TIME. Archived from the original on July 31, 2010. Retrieved 2012-02-24.
- ^ "World's Largest Light Bulb". www.roadsideamerica.com. Retrieved 2012-02-23.