For weary travelers and truckers, it’s a welcome beacon of familiarity and “the best restrooms on the road.” For the rest of us, it’s a sign of home and a neat piece of Nebraska history. The original Sapp Bros coffee pot water tower is no longer one of a kind, but its continued existence still makes us smile.

The first Sapp Bros. Truck Plaza opened in Omaha in 1971. Before then, the "coffee pot" had been a regular water tower supplying water to nearby homes and businesses.
Sapp Bros
The spout and handle were added to the refurbished tower to turn it into the company's enormous mascot.
Sapp Bros

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On cold mornings, the light on top would flash and steam would rise from the spout, making it look like it really was a giant elevated pot of coffee brewing on stilts. Back in the early days, some people called it the "world's largest pot of coffee," but that official world record title belongs to another giant coffee pot.
flickr/Curtis Perry
Today, Sapp Bros owns 16 locations across the midwest and the huge coffee pot is a well-known sight for travelers. But it all got its start right here in Nebraska, and there's nothing like seeing the original coffee pot poking its spout up above the horizon.
Facebook/Sapp Bros., Inc.

Although other Sapp Bros coffee pots have since been erected, it’s the original that will always hold a special place in our hearts as one of Nebraska’s quirky landmarks. If you’re looking for some other unique, interesting (or, in some cases, kind of weird) places to visit in Nebraska, check out our lists here and here.

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