Above Gruene Hall In the early 1900s, it became evident that the burgeoning town of Gruene needed a standing supply of water for industry and irrigation. The original tower was built of cypress and served the locals well until it was destroyed by fire in 1922. The same fire also destroyed the nearby cotton gin, which was the center of the town’s prosperity and revenue. The current steel tower was erected as a replacement by the Pittsburgh-Des Moines Erectors in 1924. The famous “ding” in the roof of the tower happened during a real estate dispute in the 1970s, while a crane was being used to dismantle the tower and sell it for scrap.