Houston's history brought back to life at Buffalo Bayou Park Cistern

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Friday, September 24, 2021
Houston's history brought back to life at Buffalo Bayou Park Cistern
Hidden beneath Buffalo Bayou, the Cistern was once the main source for the city's drinking water. But it's now home to some of the coolest art exhibits!Hidden beneath Buffalo Bayou, the Cistern was once the main source for the city's drinking water. But it's now home to cool art exhibits!

HOUSTON, Texas -- A cavernous relic sits underneath Buffalo Bayou.

Called the Buffalo Bayou Park Cistern, it was built in the 1920s to serve as the main source of the city's drinking water, which it did for decades. Then it sprung an irreparable leak.

The Cistern was decommissioned in 2007, and was lovingly restored and repurposed into a public space for art and relaxation.

The cistern is about 87,500 square feet, or one-and-a-half football fields. It's so large there is a 17-second echo!