The tower Darrick grew up looking at, taken down piece by piece on April 15, 2024 — photographed by his mom, Wanda Cox, from her backyard.
Batesville, IndianaLast updated November 13, 2026
Videos
Videos of this place.
Mom and Dad, out on the porch, watching a rainbow arc over the old water tower. Video: Rick and Wanda Cox.Morning, and the tower is still whole — the crew working on the roof cone, the lift basket at the tank's side. Video: Wanda Cox.The crew on the roof, the lift basket down low at the legs. Video: Wanda Cox.Torches on the tank wall, sparks falling — workers on the roof and the walkway. Video: Wanda Cox.The tower standing whole, early in the day. Video: Wanda Cox.Roof off. Workers on the rim walkway, the lift at the tank's side. Video: Wanda Cox.A dark panel hangs from the crane, the roof gone. Video: Wanda Cox.The bowl below, a tall wall panel above it, the crane boom alongside. Video: Wanda Cox.The bowl and the last wall panel, the crane working overhead. Video: Wanda Cox.From the backyard: a bowl panel hangs from the crane over the rooftops. Video: Wanda Cox.The bowl, a big panel peeled loose and hanging, torch sparks at the rim. Video: Wanda Cox.The bowl on its legs, the lift basket at the rim. Video: Wanda Cox.The lift basket cutting the top of a leg, the riser pipe beside it. Video: Wanda Cox.The lift at a leg top, the crane boom overhead. Video: Wanda Cox.The crane and the lift, a leg stub still standing. Video: Wanda Cox.The riser pipe standing alone, the crane hook above it. Video: Wanda Cox.From the porch: the bare ring frame, the crane over the rooftops. Video: Wanda Cox.A tank panel comes down on the crane, seen from the porch — by the end of the clip, only the bare frame is left. Video: Wanda Cox.From the porch, birdhouses in the foreground, the frame in the distance. Video: Wanda Cox.The camera drops from the crane to the rooftops — the tower out of the frame. Video: Wanda Cox.
Photos
Photos of this place.
The tower as it stood, seen from Mom’s backyard at sunset — the view Darrick grew up with. Photo: Wanda Cox.A rainbow arcing over the old water tower, seen from Mom's backyard. Photo: Wanda Cox.First light. The crew is already on the roof, and the lift is up. Photo: Wanda Cox.Cutting torches on the roof — sparks falling past the tank wall. Photo: Wanda Cox.Workers on the roof cone, the lift basket at the far side. Photo: Wanda Cox.The tower from the yard, the crew small against the tank. Photo: Wanda Cox.On the roof, cutting the cone free. Photo: Wanda Cox.Morning light on the tank — the roof crew at work. Photo: Wanda Cox.A worker on the walkway, the roof crew above. Photo: Wanda Cox.The roof, nearly ready to lift. Photo: Wanda Cox.A worker on the roof ladder. Photo: Wanda Cox.The tower from the yard — the lift at the base of the legs. Photo: Wanda Cox.The roof cone, off the tank and hanging from the crane over the rooftops. Photo: Wanda Cox.The roof cone, coming down over the roof of the house. Photo: Wanda Cox.Roof off. Workers on the rim walkway, the lift at the tank's side. Photo: Wanda Cox.From the porch: the tank, the crane, and a wall panel hanging in the air. Photo: Wanda Cox.One tall wall panel left standing, the crane boom alongside. Photo: Wanda Cox.Cutting the last wall panel free at the rim. Photo: Wanda Cox.The last wall panel, workers at the rim. Photo: Wanda Cox.The bowl, with a curved panel peeled loose and hanging. Photo: Wanda Cox.Torch flame at the base of the bowl, cutting the riser. Photo: Wanda Cox.Sparks at the rim as the bowl comes apart. Photo: Wanda Cox.The bare ring frame — a bowl panel hanging from the crane. Photo: Wanda Cox.The frame, and a leg section hanging from the crane. Photo: Wanda Cox.The ring frame from the porch, the crane boom overhead. Photo: Wanda Cox.A leg section, cut free and hanging from the crane. Photo: Wanda Cox.The lift basket at the top of a leg, cutting. Photo: Wanda Cox.Cutting the top of a leg, the riser pipe standing beside it. Photo: Wanda Cox.The lift at a leg top, over the rooftops. Photo: Wanda Cox.A leg section on the crane line, the riser pipe below. Photo: Wanda Cox.A leg section above the rooftops. Photo: Wanda Cox.The leg section, close up — the lattice steel. Photo: Wanda Cox.From the porch: the birdhouse, the rooftops, and the crane boom where the tower stood. Photo: Wanda Cox.The backyard, the tower gone — only the crane boom over the rooftops. Photo: Wanda Cox.The patio, late afternoon. The view from Mom's backyard, with the tower gone. Photo: Wanda Cox.The Batesville water tower on an early postcard — a legged tower, a cylindrical tank with a rounded bottom on four steel legs, a small brick building at its base. No date is printed on the card, and this page does not date it. Photo courtesy Batesville Historical Center.The Batesville Water Works Co. excavation, October 1927 — the photograph is captioned October 6, while the file name says October 5. Photo courtesy Batesville Historical Center.
The story so far
What happened here.
For as long as Darrick can remember, this tower was the view from his mom's backyard — the landmark he looked at every day growing up in Batesville.
On April 15, 2024, a crew took it down piece by piece. The roof came off first, lifted away by crane; then the tank walls, panel by panel; then the bowl; then the legs. By late afternoon, the skyline was empty where the tower had stood.
His mom, Wanda Cox, photographed the whole day from her backyard — from the first torch at 7:21 in the morning to the empty patio at 4:09 in the afternoon. The photos and videos of the removal below are hers, in the order she took them.
The crew starts on the roof, cutting torches out before the sun is well up.
April 15, 2024 — mid-morning
The roof cone comes off by crane, then the tank walls come down panel by panel.
April 15, 2024 — afternoon
The bowl, then the legs — the frame standing bare against the sky.
April 15, 2024 — 4:09 PM
The last photo: the patio, the garden, and the view with the tower gone.
October 1927
The Batesville Water Works Co. digs the excavation photographed here — the photograph is captioned October 6, 1927; the file name says October 5.
Still to learn
Open questions.
When was the old tower built — and how tall was it?
What stands on the site now?
The water-works excavation photograph is captioned October 6, 1927, but the file name says October 5 — which is right?
Is the legged tower on the early postcard the same tower that came down April 15, 2024?
Do you remember this place?
Share a memory, a photo, or a correction — or answer one of the open questions above. Submissions are reviewed by a person before anything appears publicly, and nothing is posted as-is. Photos are used only with your permission and with credit as you give it.
Last updated November 13, 2026. New memories appear here after review.
