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Corn water tower.

Ear of Corn Water Tower

Field review by the editors.

Rochester, Minnesota

A uniquely shaped water tower, designed to resemble a husked ear of corn, stands above the old Libby Foods plant on the south end of Rochester. The facility has been owned by Seneca Foods since 1982, and the tower is a landmark relic.

The steel tank styled as a Golden Maize ear of corn was erected in 1931 -- 149 ft. 6 in. high on four steel legs. It supplied water for the Reid-Murdoch food canning operation.

A rumored plan to quell late night tower-climbing antics of local kids by repainting or demolishing the tower never happened, thankfully. In 2020 the county announced that the tower was "historically significant" and that "we will continue to preserve and maintain it," and in 2021 the tower was given a fresh coat of corn paint.

Also see: Considerable Corn | Salad of the Gods

Ear of Corn Water Tower

Address:
US Hwy 14, Rochester, MN
Directions:
South side of town, southeast corner of the junction of US Hwys 14 and S Broadway/63. Intersection of 12th St SE and 3rd Ave SE.
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