Leaning Tower of Britten
The Leaning Tower of Britten is a leaning water tower which serves as a roadside attraction and decorative item along historic U.S. Route 66 in Groom, Texas. Sometimes called the Leaning Tower of Texas, the tower was originally a functioning water tower slated for demolition until Ralph Britten purchased and moved it to serve as an advertisement for his truck stop and tourist information center. The Leaning Tower Truck Stop closed in the mid-1980s after an electrical fire damaged it; a small remaining portion operates as a local truck repair shop.[1][2][3][4][5]
Deliberately leaning at a roughly 10-degree angle, the tower is a popular tourist destination. A small gravel road is on the site for parking and taking pictures. During Christmas, the city of Groom lights the large multicolored star on top of the tower.[6] Images of the water tower are common in Route 66 photography books.
References
[edit]- ^ Treat, Wesley; Shades, Heather; Riggs, Rob; Moran, Mark; Sceurman, Mark (May 5, 2009). Weird Texas: Your Travel Guide to Texas's Local Legends and Best Kept Secrets. p. 170. ISBN 9781402766879. Retrieved May 29, 2012.
- ^ "The Britten Leaning Water Tower". Weird Texas. Archived from the original on September 19, 2012. Retrieved May 29, 2012.
- ^ "The Leaning Tower of Texas". Atlas Obscura. Retrieved April 18, 2018.
- ^ Evans, Molly (June 3, 2017). "Route 66 Is Rich In Texas Landmarks, But Loss Of Preservation Funding Could Harm 'Mother Road'". KERA (FM). Retrieved April 18, 2018.
- ^ Brooks, Karen Harper (September 14, 2016). "10 (More) Crazy Things To See Along Texas Highways, Explained". Dallas Observer. Retrieved April 18, 2018.
- ^ "Groom TX - Tower Fuel Stop. RT66-1107". Illinois Digital Archives. Illinois State Library. Archived from the original on July 18, 2014. Retrieved April 16, 2018.