Designed by George Washington Maher, the tower was completed in late 1894.

Chicago architect George Washington Maher was commissioned in 1891 to design a new water tower for Fresno.

Maher's original design called for a library and a third floor to be built within the tower, but neither was executed.

[3] The water tower was added to the National Register of Historic Places on October 14, 1971.

The tower stands 109 feet (33 m) tall, with a 250,000 US gal (950,000 L) water storage tank.