Category:UGI Gas Tower, Allentown, Pennsylvania

The Allentown-Bethlehem Gas Company gas tower holding tank was constructed in 1927. Standing 290 feet tall, it was the second-tallest structure in Allentown, holding six million cubic feet of natural gas. It even had an elevator to the top catwalk. The tower was a local landmark in the city for 75 years.

Along with the tank, there was a coal gasification production facility to produce coal gas, also known as "town gas". The gas produced was used for heating and other uses by people and businesses, before the advent of large-scale extraction of natural gas from oil wells. The Lehigh Valley railroad delivered cars of coal for the plant, which stored the gas it produced in the tank.

The tank was originally designed for the excess gas made by the plant, as it was produced 24/7 even when it was not needed. Inside the tank was an inner tank "holder" which would move up and down, inside the outer tank as the amount of cubic feet of gas would increase or decrease. There was a large clock type indicator that told how full it was. That way the facility could handle the demand for gas by customers even the coldest days by using the gas stored in the holding tank. From the tank, the gas was distributed to customers in Allentown though the companies network of gas mains.

When natural gas replaced manufactured gas in the late 1950’s and early 1960’s, and also as the utilities infrastructure improved, it became less important as natural gas was stored in the pipeline network and the tank finally being unnecessary. By 1970, the tank was decommissioned and simply held air inside it. The utility deemed it too expensive to demolish as it was solidly built, so it just stayed there for decades. It was, however, inspected regularly and also was painted every 5 years for corrosion control.

Finally in 2004, it was decided to tear it down, and it was demolished. The tower's concrete foundation and parts of its disconnected infrastructure connecting it to the gas distribution network remain, and are visible today. The land is still owned by UGI, the successor utility company.