Allen Water Station
historic place
The Allen Water Station is a historic place in Allen, Collin County, Texas. The Houston & Texas Central Railway Company began constructing the water station in 1874. Its primary purpose was to supply water for steam locomotives. The station included a stone dam across Cottonwood Creek, a pump house, and an elevated water storage tank. These facilities supported the railway line that connected Denison to Houston and Galveston. The railway's surveyor, Theodore Kosse, platted the town of Allen in 1876. The water station remained operational until the late 1940s and early 1950s, when diesel engines replaced steam locomotives. Today, the Allen Water Station is recognized as a State Antiquities Landmark and is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. A historical marker was erected in 2015 to commemorate its significance. The visible 1874 stone dam and foundations highlight the railroad's role in 19th-century commerce and transportation.