Moonlight Tower – E 13th St & Coleto St

“Meet me at the Moonlight Tower,” whispered lovers across Austin for over a century. Right here, at the corner of E. 13th and Coleto Streets stands one of these silent sentinels, a testament to a time when Austin bathed in a glow unlike any other. The Moonlight Tower – E 13th St & Coleto St. is more than just a structure. It’s a beacon from a bygone era, one of only thirteen original towers still illuminating the city. Imagine Austin in the late 1800s. Gaslights flickered dimly, but a new marvel was about to arrive. In 1894, the city purchased thirty-one moonlight towers, each standing 165 feet tall. These were technological marvels, manufactured by the Fort Wayne Electric Company and shipped piece by piece. The Moonlight Tower – E 13th St & Coleto St., along with its brethren, cast a powerful light from six carbon arc lamps. People said you could read a watch under its glow. Over the years, technology changed. The carbon arc lamps gave way to incandescent bulbs, then mercury vapor, and now, energy-efficient LEDs. However, the romance of the moonlight towers hasn’t faded. They’ve witnessed countless love stories, late-night conversations, and the growth of a city. Today, the Moonlight Tower – E 13th St & Coleto St. stands as a reminder of Austin’s past, a time when the world was lit by a light that seemed to mimic the moon. Take a moment to appreciate its simple beauty, its history etched in every rivet and beam. It’s a link to a time when Austin dreamed under the soft glow of its unique moonlight towers.