Leaning Tower of Niles

The Leaning Tower of Niles is a half-size replica of the Leaning Tower of Pisa located in Niles, Illinois. Designed by architect Albert L. Farr and completed in 1934, it was commissioned by industrialist Robert Ilg as part of a recreation park for employees of the Ilg Hot Air Electric Ventilating Company of Chicago. It is situated at 6300 W. Touhy Avenue.Ilgair Park's pools and artificial lake needed a large water tank and pumping equipment to function, which Robert Ilg decided to hide by building a replica of the Leaning Tower of Pisa to house them. In 1960, the descendants of Robert Ilg donated part of the park for the construction of the Leaning Tower YMCA. Other amenities of the employees' recreational park included a wooden toboggan run, which was in decay but still visible in the 1960s.