Cisterns

Cisterns (HM24BQ)

Location: Austin, TX 78701 Travis County
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Country: United States of America
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N 30° 16.466', W 97° 44.41'

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Inscription
The cistern located below this site is one of two underground brick reservoirs built to store rainwater for use in the Capitol. Although by 1889 an artesian well was supplying an abundance of highly mineralized water, the two cisterns continued to be a source of fresh water until a municipal water supply became available. Rainwater, collected from the Capitol's roof through a system of gutters, filled the cisterns through a series of concealed downspouts and pipes.
A coal-fired steam pump in the Capitol's basement distributed the water throughout the building for drinking, sanitary needs and fire protection. The cistern water also filled a large iron tank in the Capitol's attic, to provide power for the original hydraulic elevator. The cistern's top hatch, visible here, provided access for checking the water level and maintenance.
Details
HM NumberHM24BQ
Tags
Placed ByThe State of Texas
Marker ConditionNo reports yet
Date Added Wednesday, January 3rd, 2018 at 1:02pm PST -08:00
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Locationbig map
UTM (WGS84 Datum)14R E 621177 N 3349867
Decimal Degrees30.27443333, -97.74016667
Degrees and Decimal MinutesN 30° 16.466', W 97° 44.41'
Degrees, Minutes and Seconds30° 16' 27.96" N, 97° 44' 24.6" W
Driving DirectionsGoogle Maps
Area Code(s)512
Which side of the road?Marker is on the right when traveling West
Closest Postal AddressAt or near 12th St W, Austin TX 78701, US
Alternative Maps Google Maps, MapQuest, Bing Maps, Yahoo Maps, MSR Maps, OpenCycleMap, MyTopo Maps, OpenStreetMap

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