The Cistern and Well

The cistern and well would have been very important to the Navarro family, especially after San Pedro Creek became an unreliable source of clean drinking water. The Navarros could access ground water from the onsite well or rainwater stored in the cistern. The cistern collected rainwater that ran off the main house roof. It could hold approximately 2,000 gallons of water, accessible by a hand-powered pump mechanism. Over time, it fell into disuse and was filled with sand. The Texas Historical Commission evaluated and restored the historic cistern in the courtyard in 2009. The report from Curtis Hunt Restoration found the bell-shaped cistern to be in very good condition. It was either constructed of sandstone or cut into the caliche bedrock. With its bell-like shape, it is 16 feet deep and 9 feet in diameter at its widest point. The interior of the cistern showed no signs of failure or cracks, and its two layers of plaster were in very good condition. The historic well, 30 feet deep, was lined with stone. The structure looks to have been constructed from rubble limestone. Two stone columns rising a further two feet above ground were topped with stone spheres. The opening of the well was once covered with a cap of concrete, but it has since been reopened and covered with a grating so visitors may view the inside. All three historic buildings on the Casa Navarro property are whitewashed, with the exception of the north side of the main house where the limestone rubble remains exposed. The three buildings have had woodshingled roofs since the site restoration in the 1960s. Each steward of the historic property—the San Antonio Conservation Society, Texas Parks & Wildlife, and THC with the support of the Friends of Casa Navarro—has undertaken further restoration and preservation projects on site.