Historic Route 66 - Britten Water Tower - Groom, Texas, USA. - National Scenic Byways on Waymarking.com

This amazing leaning water tower has become a must visit Icon for present day route 66 travellers. The tower was erected alongside Historic Route 66 in 1980 specifically on the tilt in order to encourage inquisitive travellers to stop in Britten's Restaurant & Truck Stop for gas & food. The rest stop buildings are now long gone due to a fire. The Restaurant sign is still present, & just about readable. located near the town of Groom.

The Weird Texas Web site has full info & great pictures of this Iconic Water Tower.
"Some thought it was nearly toppled by an earthquake, while others, obviously more familiar with the Panhandle’s geologic track record, chalked it up to a passing tornado.
The more imaginative placed blame on a clumsy aviator. Naturally, these were all just rumors and entirely unsubstantiated. If you had no shame, you might go for the cheap joke and say they didn't hold water.
No, the real force responsible for the tower's tilt was far more powerful, and purely intentional. That's right, the lean was deliberate, a direct result of the most formidable influence known to man: good, old-fashioned American marketing.

It worked like a charm, too. Passing motorists pulled off the highway just to make sure they saw what they thought they saw. Next thing they knew, they were finding themselves in the parking lot of Ralph Britten's truck stop and restaurant, where the as-long-as-we're-here factor would take hold." Text Source: (visit link)

Leaning Water Tower attraction info from the Roadside America Web Site:
"The leaning water tower displaying the words "Britten USA" has nothing at all to do with Britains living in the area. The Britten family is a huge ranching and farming family in the area." Text Source: (visit link)

Program: America's Byways Website: [Web Link] Official Name: Historic route 66.

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