Odd building visible from the beach (Chicago, Milton: live, transport, company)

[colinhayes]

Okay, so this has been bugging me lately:

There is this building that looks like two round buildings visible from the North Ave. Beach and Navy Pier, and probably anywhere in between. It sure as hell looks like a magical circus (one looks like a circus tent) out in the middle of the lake, but this is probably not what it is. Does anybody have any clue what it is? Here's a google map link to it's location, unfortunately the satellite view isn't detailed that far out into the lake, so all you can see are two small white dots.

41.916266,-87.572279 - Google Maps

[Avengerfire]

I am 100% sure they are water intake cribs.

"...The City of Chicago is supplied with drinking water from Lake Michigan. The first crib, the Two-Mile Crib was constructed as part of a scheme by Ellis S. Chesbrough in 1865.[1][2] Water was collected and transported through a tunnel 60 feet below the lake surface to the Chicago Avenue pumping station.[3] This was replaced by the Carter H. Harrison crib in 1900 (located at 41°54′59″N 87°34′23″W / 41.91639°N 87.57306°W / 41.91639; -87.57306), which itself was intended to be replaced by the William E. Dever crib that was built alongside it in 1935.[4] However increased water demand meant that the Carter H. Harrison crib continued in service until 1997..."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_crib

[colinhayes]

that makes sense, I was thinking that they had to have something to do with the chicago water company since their source is the lake.

THANK YOU!

[Hillbros]

Right. The drinking water comes in there. The filtration plant is near Navy Pier at Olive Park. Milton Olive was a Vietnam vet who won the Medal of Honor by hurling himself on a grenade to save all his other GIs right there with him at that place.

[bert62]

These other people are lying to you. There is a magical circus out in the middle of Lake Michigan. The Navy Pier attractions are merely a front to keep people away from the top secret Cirque du So-Lake. I have told you the truth, and now you must be eliminated.

[colinhayes]

Originally Posted by bert62

These other people are lying to you. There is a magical circus out in the middle of Lake Michigan. The Navy Pier attractions are merely a front to keep people away from the top secret Cirque du So-Lake. I have told you the truth, and now you must be eliminated.

I mean, the water crib is painted exactly like a circus tent, why would they paint something that isn't a circus like that?!

[Chicago60614]

I like when people say "oh look, you can see that building on the other side".

Umm.....no. You have to go about 25 times as far to reach Michigan.

[Avengerfire]

^ While it is impossible to see Michigan from the downtown shoreline, industrial buildings in Indiana can be seen with clarity many days...^

[Lookout Kid]

Originally Posted by colinhayes

I mean, the water crib is painted exactly like a circus tent, why would they paint something that isn't a circus like that?!

Aren't they just painted white?

[colinhayes]

Originally Posted by Lookout Kid

Aren't they just painted white?

one is white with vertical red stripes. From the wiki article it seems like that's the newer one, the William E. Denver crib. It's tiered, but from the shore it end up looking exactly like a circus tent