Under George Horton’s leadership, Chicago Bridge and Iron pursued better designs, faster methods, safer processes, and improved fit-up gadgets, helping keep the company at the forefront of its industry. As railroads expanded and new prairie communities grew, the company met their water needs with innovations in elevated water storage tanks, which were used mainly to overcome low pressure during peak demand and maintain uniform pressure in distribution systems. The height of a tank such as the Shamrock tower was determined by the community’s topography so pressure could be maintained at all points in the main. Elevated tanks fell into two basic types, single pedestal and multi-column, with style variations in each, and the Shamrock tower represented a common style of its day with an elliptical bottom and cone roof. Chicago Bridge and Iron built its first steel elevated water tank in 1894 at Fort Dodge, Iowa, where the structure stood more than 115 feet tall. The company built more elevated tanks in Texas than anyone else, with records showing about 1260 tanks there, including 906 multi-column tanks, and the Shamrock tower is documented as the tallest tank of its type and style in the state. Though not among the company’s biggest products, elevated tanks remain one of the most visible examples of Chicago Bridge and Iron craftsmanship.