City Water Works
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Why it's listed
Cuero's City Water Works is a small utility complex at 208 S. Esplanade, just south of the downtown commercial core. Established around 1910, it includes two pumphouses and a concrete-lined reservoir on a lot of less than an acre. The easternmost pumphouse, facing Esplanade Street, is brick with a stucco finish, segmental-arched openings, wood double-hung windows, a hip roof with composition shingles, and a small gable with jig-sawn bargeboard. The second pumphouse is similarly detailed but has a corrugated-metal roof. By 1930 another pumphouse had been built on the south side of the lot. A machine shop built after 1935 and a modern water tower are noted as noncontributing. The complex was recognized for its Romanesque Revival-influenced architecture, its few alterations, and its integrity. It has supplied water for over seven decades, which the nomination credits to the engineering of its original designers and builders. The architect and builder are unknown.
Significance in brief: The complex has supplied the city's water since 1910, and its oldest parts are the brick pumphouse facing Esplanade and the concrete-lined reservoir. Few alterations affect its integrity, and it has noteworthy examples of Romanesque Revival-influenced architecture. Its continued operation is credited to the engineering of its original designers and builders.
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 88001956, listed October 31, 1988. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 208 S. Esplanade, Cuero |
|---|---|
| County | DeWitt County |
| Listed | October 31, 1988 |
| Reference number | 88001956 |
| Resource type | District |
| Architectural style | Romanesque Revival-influenced |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition described as good; the plant has operated continuously since the early 20th century and the present use is still pumphouse/engineering. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 29.08931, -97.29281 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
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 88001956.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q110000047
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.