Standing at a staggering 146 feet tall, this Florida water tower is the world's biggest, baddest birthday cake. There are 10 candles, each representing five years of Publix history, plus an eleventh candle in the middle to celebrate the years to come.

Built in 1931, this corny construction was originally built to provide water to the Reid, Murdoch and Co. cannery, which opened in 1929. Although the cannery it served is now closed, this Rochester, Minnesota landmark remains as a reminder of the Med City's agricultural past.

Texas is one of the United States' leading producers of watermelon, but Luling's love for the fruit is particularly strong. There are overflowing summertime stands, watermelon-themed murals, and an annual festival. This pride peaks with the town water tower, which stands 154 feet tall with a green-and-white-striped tank at the top.

Bell Labs was one of the most famous innovators of the 20th century. The Linux operating system, Google Android, MacOS, and iOS are all based upon the Unix operating system created here in the 1970s. The Big Bang was discovered here. Information Theory was developed here. And a water tower near the lab commemorates the invention of the transistor here in 1947.

For a few weeks in 1996, this Brazilian town was awash in reports of strange creatures and UFOs. Varginha has since become a UFO pilgrimage spot—the South American equivalent of Roswell, New Mexico. The largest and most conspicuous of the UFO-related items in the city is its water tower. Constructed in 2001, it stands 20 meters tall and was built to resemble the craft said to have been spotted in the area.

In 1906, Libby, McNeil, & Libby, a Chicago-based meatpacking company, opened its first fruit-packing factory in Sunnyvale, California. With bountiful peach, cherry, and apricot orchards nearby, as well as immediate access to the railroad, Libby’s boomed. By 1922, it was the largest cannery in the world. But when the factory closed in 1985, the property was razed, sparing only the water tower. Today it stands as an homage to Libby’s canned fruit cocktail.

You’d be forgiven for craving a cup of strong coffee when you pass through the town of Kingsburg, California, thanks to the enormous coffee pot towering above the street. In the 1870s, a group of Swedish immigrants formed a settlement along the Central Pacific Railroad, which in 1908 officially became the town of Kingsburg. Today, more than a century after its founding, the town still celebrates its Swedish roots.

The City of Gas got its unique name from the natural gas deposits found in what was then known as Elm Township. In the 1970s, the local water tower was built and painted red, with the words “GAS KAN” written across it. Thus, the World’s Largest Gas Kan was born.

This square water tower was built in 1951 to hold water pumped from nearby Loch Katrine. At the base of the tower are some water-related sculptures entitled “Project Neptune” by artist Andy Scott. Three sirens, Poseidon, and a mermaid add to this unusual attraction. There is also a fish with a ring in its mouth, part of the city's coat of arms.

Though it may look like it, this cone-shaped concrete structure towering above the Johannesburg suburb of Midrand isn't an art installation. The Brutalist-inspired tower is operated by Johannesburg Water, stands 131 feet tall, and holds nearly 2 million gallons of water for the surrounding community.

In the winding Tangletown neighborhood of Minneapolis, you might stumble upon an imposing cement structure, bedecked with eagles and sword-wielding knights. This 110-foot-tall dome, easily visible from the air, is no fortress or bunker—it's a water tower. The eight hooded knights adorning the buttresses of the tower are known as the “Guardians of Health,” symbolic protectors of the water supply.

When this water tower was built in 1974, it had the words "Florence Mall" painted on the dome. Technically it broke some highway advertising laws, but that was nothing that bit of paint couldn't fix. The mayor came up with a cost-effective solution: paint a Y over the M, then add an apostrophe to make the "Mall" a "Y'all.” The unconventional fix has turned the water tower into a beloved local landmark.