The Brooks Catsup Bottle is a must-do photo stop for any groups traveling Route 66 or visiting Collinsville as part of their tour itinerary.

The World's Largest Catsup Bottle rises high above Collinsville, IL just off Route 159. The historic landmark, actually a water tower completed in 1949 by the W.E. Caldwell Company for Brooks Old Original Catsup, has fascinated travelers for over 70 years as a kitschy pit stop, a reminder of Collinsville's past, and an icon of the city.

Collinsville is known for its Italian heritage and foodie festivals like Italian Fest, Smokin on Main, and the International Horseradish Festival (Collinsville is the Horseradish Capitol of the World!) so it's no wonder such a delicious symbol was built overlooking the city!

Originally used to provide water for the catsup plant and a fire sprinkler protection system, the Brooks Old Original Rich & Tangy Catsup company was founded in 1907 by brothers Everett and Elgin Brooks under the name 'Triumph Catsup & Pickle Company". The name soon changed to Brooks and the delicious catsup soared to America's #1 tangy catsup brand, surviving the Great Depression and growing through the 1940s. The company made catsup, chili beans, spaghetti sauce, hominy, soups, and other canned products.

The Brooks Catsup Bottle was restored in 1995 by the Catsup Bottle Preservation Group who fundraised via a 'Paint It' campaign and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2002. The massive bottle has been visited by the Big Idaho Potato, the Planters Peanut, and the Oscar Meyer Weiner, along with other giants over the years. Brooks was bought by Birds Eye Foods in the 60s and still being made today in Canada.

At 170 feet tall- a 70 ft bottle with 100 ft steel legs- the World's Largest Catsup Bottle measures 25 feet in diameter at its widest. The tower can hold 100,000 gallons of water- approximately 640,000 bottles* of catsup! But is it full of catsup? The Catsup Bottle Preservation Group says they'll never tell!

Today, the lovingly restored piece of 20th century Americana can be viewed 365 days of the year and is a popular tourist and photo stop.