F. B. (Fayette Bartholomew) Tower

Born in Waterville, New York, on June 29, 1817, Fayette Bartholomew Tower trained as a civil engineer and joined the staff working on the Croton Aqueduct in 1837. He remained with the project until its completion in 1842, gaining the practical knowledge that shaped his best-known book, Illustrations of the Croton Aqueduct.

That book grew out of direct observation and helped preserve the story of one of the most important infrastructure projects in early New York City. Contemporary collections and historical notes describe Tower’s drawings as the basis for published views of the aqueduct, giving his writing and images lasting value for readers interested in engineering history, urban growth, and everyday life around the project.

Tower later lived in Cumberland, Maryland, where he served as mayor. He died on February 16, 1857, at just 39 years old, leaving behind a small but distinctive legacy as both an engineer and an author who recorded a major American public work from the inside.