The North Point Water Tower was built in 1873 and 1874 as part of Milwaukee, Wisconsin's first public waterworks, with Victorian Gothic styling unusually handsome for a water tower.

[1][2] The City of Milwaukee was authorized by the Wisconsin Legislature to construct the water tower in 1871.

[3] Designed by Charles A. Gombert, it was built out of limestone from Wauwatosa, Wisconsin to house the wrought iron standpipe.

[4] The building cost more than $50,000 to complete, far exceeding the original $8,000 estimate.

The standpipe was surrounded by the stone tower to keep its water from freezing.