In about 1910, these black-painted water tanks were installed as part of an Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad infrastructure upgrade to accommodate new larger steam engines, and they became a dominant feature of Kingman's skyline. By 1953, after the railroad had updated almost its entire fleet, ownership of the tanks was transferred to the City of Kingman for use as storage for the fire department. The tank facing east on Route 66 was painted silver and given a notation promoting 1,000 Miles of Shoreline, referring to Mohave County's Colorado River frontage. By 1986, the rusty and leaking tanks were considered a liability, but Betty McBrayer recognized their historic significance and began a campaign to save them from demolition. The colorful mural of a vintage locomotive bursting from the tank was funded by the Route 66 Association of Kingman and completed by mural artists Dan and Vicki Louden.
