Pearl Beach in Clay Township in St. Clair County, Michigan — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
Colony Tower
Photographed by Joel Seewald, June 27, 2020
1. Colony Tower Marker
Inscription.
Colony Tower. . Built in 1925 by the Chicago Bridge and Iron Works, this steel-framed water tower was the main water supplier for "The Colony on the Ste. Claire" , a secluded residential community established in Clay Township during the 1920s. The Colony Tower marked the entrance to the Will St. John estate, the home of the real estate developer who founded The Colony subdivision. The 136-foot tower once housed a 60,000-gallon water tank. Constructed with curtain walls and steel plates to resemble a lighthouse. It demonstrates the early twentieth-century penchant for disguising the utilitarian function of highly visible structures. A light shone from atop the tower, aiding boat and aircraft navigation from 1925 until 1937, when the light was extinguished due to its high operating costs.
Built in 1925 by the Chicago Bridge and Iron Works, this steel-framed water tower was the main water supplier for "The Colony on the Ste. Claire" — a secluded residential community established in Clay Township during the 1920s. The Colony Tower marked the entrance to the Will St. John estate, the home of the real estate developer who founded The Colony subdivision. The 136-foot tower once housed a 60,000-gallon water tank. Constructed with curtain walls and steel plates to resemble a lighthouse. It demonstrates the early twentieth-century penchant for disguising the utilitarian function of highly visible structures. A light shone from atop the tower, aiding boat and aircraft navigation from 1925 until 1937, when the light was extinguished due to its high operating costs.
Erected 1993 by Bureau of History, Michigan Department of State. (Marker Number L805.)
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Notable Buildings. In addition, it is included in the Lighthouses, and the Michigan Historical Commission series lists. A significant historical year for this entry is 1925.
Location. 42° 37.927′ N, 82° 36.94′ W.
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Marker is in Clay Township, Michigan, in St. Clair County. It is in Pearl Beach. It is at the intersection of Dyke Road (State Highway 29) and Colony Drive, on the right when traveling south on Dyke Road. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 6503 Dyke Road, Algonac MI 48001, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Southeast Michigan and in one of the Lake Huron Shore counties. It is also in the American Midwest and on the Great Lakes. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Northwest Territory.
Credits. This page was last revised on February 7, 2023. It was originally submitted on June 29, 2020, by Joel Seewald of Madison Heights, Michigan. This page has been viewed 1,960 times since then and 144 times this year. Photos:1, 2, 3. submitted on June 29, 2020, by Joel Seewald of Madison Heights, Michigan.
