The first water tower in Kursk was built in 1873 on Podvalnaya Street, now known as Pavlov Street. This location was considered the highest point in the city, and in 1908, a fire station was constructed next to the tower.

The water tower was showcased to residents on December 1, 1873, but the official opening of the city's water supply took place only on July 16, 1874. However, there was no mass connection: out of 5010 homeowners, only 1200 connected to the water supply. By 1910, only 80 homeowners had joined the system, while about 400 remained disconnected, preferring not to pay for water. Historian Vladimir Stepanov mentioned a saying of that time: "Grandfathers lived without water and knew no troubles."

The tower is interesting from a technical perspective. Underground, there was a water reserve, and one of the pools was heated, preventing freezing even in severe frosts. The height of the tower was 25.5 meters, but the lower tier eventually ended up underground. After it ceased to be used for water supply, the underground parts were used as cellars.

By 1899, the city authorities of Kursk were tired of fighting the residents' reluctance to connect to the water supply. People continued to buy water from water carriers, even though prices had risen. The authorities lowered water supply prices in the center and built six artesian wells on the outskirts. In 1910, tickets for water were issued to the poor, as county towns used polluted river water.

The need for the first tower disappeared before World War II due to the construction of a new tower in the late 1920s designed by architect Ginev. The old tower lost its significance after the fire station closed in 1935. In the 1950s, the authorities planned to demolish it, but that did not happen. In 1989, the "Red Tower" was recognized as a cultural heritage site.

For a long time, the tower remained abandoned until in 2014, its neighbor, the "Gray Tower," was purchased for 2 million rubles. The new owner planned to open a restaurant there and acquire the "Red Tower" to create an art object. These plans did not materialize, but the first water tower has gained a new potential owner with their own ideas. What will come of this remains to be seen.