Austin has plenty of iconic landmarks, but few are as uniquely Austin—or as globally rare—as the city’s surviving Moontowers. These 165‑foot metal giants once lit the entire city at night and now stand as the only intact moontower system left on Earth. For Old Austin fans, preservation buffs, and anyone who loves a good cultural deep dive, these towers deliver one of the city’s most fascinating time‑travel experiences.

Here’s your complete insider guide to the history, the upgrades, what’s left, and where to see these towering pieces of Austin mythology today.

THE ORIGIN STORY: AUSTIN’S FIRST ELECTRIC LIGHT In 1894, Austin bought 31 surplus moonlight towers from Detroit and began erecting them across the city. By 1895, the skyline was dotted with 165‑foot structures carrying six carbon‑arc lamps each—bright enough to read your watch from a block away and powerful enough to illuminate a 1,500‑foot radius. For many Austinites, this was their first encounter with electric light.

The towers were technological marvels of their era and transformed Austin’s evenings almost overnight. People could leave their homes after dark. Streets felt safer. Neighborhoods grew. And on a cultural level, the towers embedded themselves into Austin mythology long before the city was known for music festivals or tech startups.

WHAT’S LEFT TODAY Of the original 31 towers, only 17 survive, and just 14 remain in their original locations. The city maintains these remaining structures, all of which are now recognized as Texas State Landmarks and are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Preservation has not been easy. Towers have been removed over the decades due to development, weather, and structural issues. But Austin continuously invests in keeping the remaining giants alive.

THE MODERN REVIVAL: LED UPGRADES + RESTORATION WORK Austin recently completed a major modernization project. In January 2026, the moontower at MLK and Chicon became the last in the system to receive its LED upgrade—replacing 400‑watt bulbs with energy‑efficient 80‑watt LEDs.

This transition: • Reduces energy use dramatically • Cuts maintenance cycles from every 5 years to about 20 • Ensures the moontowers survive well into the next generation

The Historic Landmark Commission also approved upgraded milled steel replacement rods to keep 12 of the towers structurally sound.

In short: Austin isn’t just preserving history—it’s future‑proofing it.

MOONTOWERS IN POP CULTURE Moontowers gained national fame thanks to Dazed and Confused—including the iconic “party at the moontower” line that cemented them into film history.

Today, they also live on through modern culture like the Moontower Comedy Festival, keeping the name alive for new generations of Austinites.

WHERE TO SEE THEM While visitor resources weren’t included in the provided material, the surviving towers are located throughout central Austin—especially around Hyde Park, East Austin, and Zilker-adjacent corridors. Street plaques mark most of the original-condition towers.

INSIDER INTEL • The Zilker moontower becomes the city’s most famous every December when it’s wrapped to create the Zilker Holiday Tree. • The MLK/Chicon tower is the most recently modernized and now considered the brightest and most energy-efficient in the system. • The best cluster to see multiple towers in one walk is in Hyde Park. • All towers were fully dismantled and restored between 1993–1995—every bolt, wire, and panel. • These towers were once so bright that locals said they “turned night into day.”

INTERNAL LINKS Explore more local history and culture: • Inside The Carver Museum: https://austintexasthings.com/article/inside-the-carver-museum-the-insider-guide-to-east-austins-oldest-cultural-anchor • Inside Zilker Park in 2026: https://austintexasthings.com/article/inside-zilker-park-in-2026-the-insider-guide-to-austins-most-iconic-urban-oasis • Inside The Driskill Grill Reopening: https://austintexasthings.com/article/inside-the-driskill-grill-reopening-the-insider-guide-to-austins-most-historic-finedining-comeback

EXTERNAL SOURCES • National Register of Historic Places listing: https://www.nps.gov • City of Austin Moontower Preservation Info: https://www.austintexas.gov • Texas Historical Commission: https://www.thc.texas.gov