Entry No. 25 — the St. Louis file — filed under: roadside-attraction
World's Largest Catsup Bottle
Standing proudly at 170 feet tall, this iconic mid-century water tower was built in 1949 to advertise Brooks Rich & Tangy Catsup and was saved from demolition by passionate local preservationists.
The story
In 1949, the W.S. Suppiger Company needed a water tower to supply its bottling plant in Collinsville. Rather than erecting a utilitarian steel tank, they built a 170-foot-tall water tower designed to mimic a bottle of Brooks Rich & Tangy Catsup. It instantly transformed a standard municipal infrastructure requirement into an unmissable billboard along the southern Illinois roadside.
When the processing plant eventually closed down, the giant red tower faced an uncertain future and the threat of demolition. A grass-roots group of local preservationists stepped in, launching a campaign to raise funds, repaint the metal shell, and secure its status as a registered trademarked landmark. You are looking at a monument saved purely by small-town stubbornness and a shared appreciation for industrial surrealism.
What it's like
Expect a quick, zero-cost pitstop right along South Morrison Avenue. You pull up near the base, step out onto the pavement, and tilt your chin back to stare straight up 170 feet into the Illinois sky at a massive painted condiment cap. There are no ticket windows, ropes, or docents—just a quick photo op before you roll into downtown Collinsville to grab a bite.
The move: Snap a quirky couple's selfie directly beneath the massive red bottle, then head into downtown Collinsville to grab a bite to eat.
- 📍 Collinsville, IL
- 💸 Free
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Outdoors
Where: 800 S Morrison Ave, Collinsville, IL 62234
Hours: Added 2026-07-21 — confirm current hours before you go.
⚠ Seasonal or scheduled — always check before you go.
Pair it with
- Giant Vess Soda Bottle — Pair one oversized mid-century red bottle with another by heading across the river to inspect St. Louis's 34-foot steel Vess Soda container.
- National Building Arts Center — Continue your tour of preserved Metro East industrial heritage at this sprawling Sauget site filled with salvaged architectural relics.
- City Museum — Trade an industrial landmark you look at from the ground for a ten-story industrial playground made of salvaged metal that you can crawl through.
Good to know
Can you go inside or climb up into the bottle?
No. The bottle is a historic water tower structure that you view entirely from street level, with no public access inside or up the framing.
Is there an admission fee?
It is completely free to visit. You can pull over at 800 S Morrison Ave at any time to take photos from the ground.
Why is it spelled 'Catsup' instead of 'Ketchup'?
The tower was built to advertise Brooks Rich & Tangy Catsup, which used the 'catsup' spelling on its commercial branding back in 1949.
Where is it located relative to St. Louis?
It stands at 800 S Morrison Ave in Collinsville, Illinois, just a short drive east across the Mississippi River from downtown St. Louis.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Official site · Atlas Obscura · Wikipedia · Tripadvisor · vroomvroomvroom.com
last checked: 2026-07-21