The Tower of the Americas is a 750-foot observation tower/restaurant on the southeastern fringe of Downtown San Antonio, Texas, USA. The tower was designed by San Antonio architect O'Neil Ford and was built as the theme structure of the 1968 World's Fair, HemisFair '68.
The Tower was the tallest observation tower in the United States from 1968 until 1996, when the Las Vegas Stratosphere Tower was completed. It is also the one of the two tallest skyscrapers in Texas excluding Dallas and Houston. The other is the 683-foot residential building, The Austonian.
The Tower is located in the middle of HemisFair Park and has an observation deck that is accessible by elevator for a fee. In addition, there is also a lounge and revolving restaurant at the top of the tower that provides panoramic views of the city.
The fastest recorded time up the tower's 952 steps is 5 minutes 18 seconds on January 29, 1981.
Read more about Tower Of The Americas: Construction History, Tower Restaurant, Building Heights, FM Radio
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“If God made me a princess, why didn’t he take a little more time and make my hair so it wouldn’t snarl?”
—Robert N. Lee. Rowland V. Lee. Princess, Tower of London, while the Princess’ mother is combing her hair (1939)
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—D.H. (David Herbert)