Midtown in San Antonio in Bexar County, Texas — The American South (West South Central)

Upper Pump House

Photographed By James Hulse, December 30, 2022

1. Upper Pump House Marker

Inscription. San Antonio Relied On Its River, creeks, and acequias (irrigation ditches) to provide water for household and agricultural use until 1877 when Jean B. LaCoste built a privately owned water distribution system. LaCoste constructed this limestone pump house on land reserved by the city for the water works. A long canal channeled water that powered turbines and pumps to force water up to a hilltop reservoir a mile away. Water then flowed by gravity from the reservoir to the city below. LaCoste completed the system, but he lacked the funds for its expansion. His largest creditor, George W. Brackenridge, assumed ownership of the water supply company in 1883. Brackenridge expanded the system, but when drought threatened spring flow in the early 1890s he assured a reliable water source by drilling artesian wells that still supply San Antonio. The private water company was sold to the city in 1925 and operates today as the San Antonio Water System.

Captions
Upper Right: The city provided limestone from its nearby rock quarry to construct the water works pump house.
Courtesy: University of Texas at San Antonio Libraries Special Collections

Lower Right: As seen in this diagram (far left), water to power turbines and pumps was diverted from the river above the pump

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house through a 650-foot canal and then back into the river. The pumps forced water through pipes to the hilltop reservoir located in today's San Antonio Botanical Garden (left).
Source: Insurance Maps of San Antonio Texas. New York: Sanborn Map Company, 1912.
Photo: Maria Watson Pfeiffer, San Antonio.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Parks & Recreational Areas • Waterways & Vessels. A significant historical year for this entry is 1877.

Location. 29° 27.829′ N, 98° 28.165′ W. Marker is in San Antonio, Texas, in Bexar County. It is in Midtown. Marker can be reached from the intersection of Brackenridge Drive and Brackenridge Road. The marker is located in the northeast section of Brackenridge Park by the Joske Pavilion. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 531 Brackenridge Way, San Antonio TX 78209, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Lambert Beach (within shouting distance of this marker); Donkey Barn (about 400 feet away, measured in a direct line); Miraflores (about 500 feet away); Confederate Tannery (about 700 feet away); The Utility Log Cabin (about 700 feet away); The Celso Navarro House (about 800 feet away); Onderdonk Artist Studio (about 800 feet away); The Twohig House (about 800 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in San Antonio.

Also see . . .

The Upper Pump House and Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed By James Hulse, December 30, 2022

2. The Upper Pump House and Marker

The marker is located on the east corner (left side) of the Pump House.

History of the Park. Brackenridge Park Conservancy

The casual visitor to Brackenridge Park is totally unaware that the 349-acre park, with its picnic areas, ball fields, museum, zoo, and golf course, occupies some of the most historically rich land in the City of San Antonio. Traffic and pavement abound, urban congestion and noise intrude, and interpretation is virtually nil. Nothing tells the visitor that the park represents a long timeline reaching back at least 12,000 years. It is a rich tapestry of history linked by the San Antonio River that rises from springs above and in the park and flows through the park on its southerly course.

(Submitted on January 10, 2023, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas.)

Inside view of the Upper Pump House image. Click for full size.

Photographed By James Hulse, December 30, 2022

3. Inside view of the Upper Pump House

The view of the Upper Pump House from the San Antonio River image. Click for full size.

Photographed By James Hulse, December 30, 2022

4. The view of the Upper Pump House from the San Antonio River

Credits. This page was last revised on February 2, 2023. It was originally submitted on January 10, 2023, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas. This page has been viewed 66 times since then and 9 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on January 10, 2023, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas.