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6:28 pm
May 7, 2010
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I know there are a few people on the forum from America and I wondered if they can answer a question for me please.
I have been watching a few true crime clips on you tube and a lot of them are set in the US. In a lot of them they show some lovely scenery, hills and forests, lakes etc but in a lot of them when they show little towns there is often a shot of a sort of ‘War of the Worlds’ type structure looming over everything with the name of the town painted on it. I just wondered what these things are. Big as they are I can’t see them being water storage as they wouldn’t hold enough for a whole town and I can’t think of what else they might be. Daft I know but it is really niggling at me what these things are.
Let us show them that they are hares and foxes trying to rule over dogs and wolves - Boudica addressing the tribes Circa AD60
7:19 pm
February 24, 2010
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Okay I know the answer to this Maggy. YAY finally! You are right. They are water towers. They no longer hold the water for the towns, but we have never gotten rid of them. I never thought of them as “War of the Worlds” looking. That cracked me up. I think they are cool reminders of a time long past. There used to be a show in the 60’s on TV called Petticoat Junction. The girls in the show always went swimming in their water tower. That’s hat I think of whenever I see them.
7:23 pm
February 24, 2010
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I was just telling my husband about your question, and he told me that it was funny you mentioned War of the World’s because when the radio show came out in 1938, people were panicked here. Two farmers took shots at a water tower in New Jersey thinking it was an alien from outer space.
7:43 pm
May 7, 2010
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Haha I like that Sharon. Shooting out water towers. I remember reading about that show being on the radio over there. I think it was Orson Wells or somebody like that and people tuning in after it had started thought it was a real newscast. How horrifying that must have been. So these are water towers I suppose then they would be from when the towns were quite small or would there have been clusters of them originally and just the odd one has survived? it is hard to tell how big they are really from pictures though they are bloody tall but I cant imagine they would hold that much water. I shall go off and see what I can discover about them. They are quite fascinating. I love that all these towns have them with the name painted on. It does look quaint but also a sort of uniform look to all the places I have been seeing on you tube. I have to say I love the names too. One place I just adore is ‘Stinking Creek’. Brilliant.
Let us show them that they are hares and foxes trying to rule over dogs and wolves - Boudica addressing the tribes Circa AD60
8:16 pm
February 24, 2010
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Yes, it was Orson Wells. He scared everyone in America who tuned in late. There were people all over the country outside with their guns loaded. No sir, no alien is going to invade America and get away with it!
Apparently, some water towers are still in use. I didn’t realize. They don’t hold a lot at one time but the water is being pumped in constantly.
http://www.amny.com/urbanite-1…..-1.1143133
Here’s an explanation:
10:01 am
May 7, 2010
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Thanks Sharon those links were great.
Well American water towers are now another of my ‘things’ I think they are wonderful.
Let us show them that they are hares and foxes trying to rule over dogs and wolves - Boudica addressing the tribes Circa AD60
