On June 15, 1872, the town of Redding was established by the California & Oregon Railroad, a division of the Central Pacific Railroad, which stopped the construction of its tracks later that year at Poverty Flats. Poverty Flats lacked settlement by the early European-American’s because it was mainly swampland and farmers couldn’t raise their crops there which is the main reason it was ignored by them. Due to the railroad it forced Redding's settlement upon Poverty Flats. Redding gained prominence and grew rapidly as the town burgeoned with success. You are standing on a very historic spot in downtown Redding which is the home of the very first water tower owned by the California and Oregon Railroad and built by them in 1872. It was a very significant structure in Redding. Everyone has probably driven past it, stopped at it, or walked by it without realizing the historical importance of this foundation. You are looking at the remains of the original concrete foundation of the railroad water tower. On September 1, 1872, the first passenger train arrived in Redding via Red Bluff, Cottonwood, and Anderson., and later other trains followed suit often refilling their engines with water from this tower. It is located at the Southwest corner of the tracks at the South Street crossing. I have only seen one photo of the water tower and it is in the far background of a very faded photo of Redding. It's unknown to me when the railroad dismantled it. CONGRATS TO JHHWILD ON ANOTHER FIRST TO FIND!