Moonlight towers in Austin, Texas

Moonlight towers in Austin are a group of historic lighting structures in Texas, with 15 still operating today. Each structure stands around 50 meters (165 feet) tall and carries lamps that light entire residential areas at night.

Austin purchased 31 towers in 1894 from a company in Indiana and installed them as a citywide lighting system. Over time many were removed, but those remaining were later placed on the National Register.

The local name 'moonlight towers' comes from their original purpose of creating artificial moonlight across entire neighborhoods at once. Visitors today can see how each tower still lights up several city blocks from a single point, preserving an early vision of public illumination.

The towers stand scattered across residential neighborhoods and parks throughout the city, so you encounter them while moving through town. An evening visit shows the lighting in action and the radius each tower covers.

This installation is the last working system of its kind worldwide, after similar towers in other cities disappeared long ago. Two additional towers are kept in storage and may be erected at new locations in the future.

Location: Austin

Inception: 1894

GPS coordinates: 30.27139,-97.74472

Latest update: December 17, 2025 11:18