Alamo Portland and Roman Cement Works
Also known as: Japanese Sunken Garden
Why it's listed
Brackenridge Park in San Antonio contains the remains of a cement plant that later became a garden. In 1879 William Loyd, an Englishman, noticed blue limestone on a hunting trip north of the city. Analysis showed it held the right proportions of lime and clay for portland cement, and the Alamo Portland and Roman Cement Company was incorporated on January 15, 1880. The first mill was small and built of timber, producing ten barrels a day. The company sold lime and building stone to stay afloat, expanded with a second kiln in 1881, and sold quarried rock for building the state capitol between 1883 and 1888. It moved in 1907 to a site with better railroad access. In 1917 the city converted the abandoned quarry into a sunken garden with a pagoda, using prison labor. The smokestack, kilns and quarry pits remain visible. The nomination calls it the first portland cement works west of the Mississippi.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues this was the first portland cement works west of the Mississippi River, founded after William Loyd found cement rock near San Antonio. Its quarried stone was sold to the builders of the Texas state capitol. In 1917 the abandoned quarry and works were converted into a sunken garden.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 76002005, listed December 12, 1976. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Brackenridge Park, San Antonio |
|---|---|
| County | Bexar County |
| Listed | December 12, 1976 |
| Reference number | 76002005 |
| Resource type | Site |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architect / builder | William Loyd |
| Areas of significance | Industry |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | City-owned and occupied, used as a park; the works are described as reasonably preserved, with the smokestack, kilns and quarry pits visible within the sunken gardens. |
| Acreage | 1 |
| Within district | Brackenridge Park |
| Coordinates | 29.46071, -98.47703 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
Sites (archaeological sites, battlefields, landscapes) are often listed with a restricted address to protect them from looting or disturbance. Listing is honorary for private owners; federal undertakings on or near the site go through Section 106 review, and state laws may protect burials and artefacts regardless of listing.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 76002005.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q110001613
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.