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In Luling, Texas, a 154-foot water tower is painted to resemble a watermelon. Texas.gov said in 2025 that it honours the town's history as the Watermelon Capital of Texas, and the town has held a Watermelon Thump since 1954.
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Watermelon Water Tower
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Approximate location · 29.686° N, 97.656° W
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The story
In June 2025 the State of Texas's official account on X described the tower as standing 154 feet tall and paying homage to Luling's history as the "Watermelon Capital of Texas". Texas Time Travel calls the tower, painted to resemble a giant watermelon, a year-round symbol of Luling's signature crop. It sits alongside the Watermelon Thump, a festival held since 1954, when a Luling school principal proposed an event to promote local melon growers. Phoenix Fabricators says it built a 500,000-gallon tank in the likeness of a watermelon, with horizontal stripes and mottling, and also built a second Luling tank showing a canoeist, a reference to the local paddling trail.
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WHAT TO EXPECT
A water tower in Luling, painted as a watermelon. Texas.gov, Texas Time Travel and Texas Parks and Wildlife Magazine all describe it as a town landmark. It is working water infrastructure, so view it from public streets.
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The tower stands in Luling, Texas. It is working water infrastructure, so view it from public streets.
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