Austin Energy's Historic Moonlight Towers

Watch the specialized restoration work required to complete the entire system and maintain preservation status.

In 1895, Austinites imagined a brighter future. That year, the City’s newly formed electric utility flipped the switch on a revolutionary lighting system: a network of brilliant lamps perched atop 165 foot steel towers. These became Austin’s iconic Moonlight Towers—named for the soft, silvery glow they cast across the city, a light said to mimic the beams of a full moon.

Fourteen of the original 31 towers still stand today. Austin remains the only city in the world where a functioning moonlight tower system survives, a distinction recognized through placement on the National Register of Historic Places, designation as State of Texas Historic Landmarks, and local Historic Zoning. As Austin evolves, its Moonlight Towers stand as enduring symbols of ingenuity, resilience, and the community value that Austin Energy has delivered for more than a century.

Moonlight Towers Location Guide

View this map for locations and addresses of Austin's Moonlight Towers.

Visit the Moonlight Tower Exhibit

Austin Energy Headquarters features a permanent Moonlight Tower Exhibit in the Connection Room History Gallery. Visitors can explore a custom-built replica tower and discover the story behind Austin’s historic lighting system. The gallery is open Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., at 4815 Mueller Blvd., Austin, Texas 78723.