1879 Houston Waterworks
historic place
The 1879 Houston Waterworks is a historic place in Harris County, Texas. The Houston Water Works Company, established by New York investors, began operations in 1879. It constructed a dam on Buffalo Bayou and a plant on Artesian Street. In September 1879, water pumping from the bayou began for Houston residents and firefighting. The system quickly proved effective, providing pressure to combat a large Main Street fire. In 1884, former Mayor T.H. Scanlon and associates acquired the company. They improved the system, increasing daily pumping capacity. A significant discovery in 1887 was an artesian well, tapping an underground reservoir. The company then drilled more wells for this new water source. The City of Houston purchased the Water Works Company in 1906. Today, a brick and concrete underground reservoir remains, functioning as a sand trap. This site exemplifies municipal water engineering from the 1870s.