First Lift Station
Encyclopedia
Dedicated as a Texas Historic Landmark by the Texas Historical Commission
in 1985, the First Lift Station in Mission, Texas
once provided water for irrigating the crops of the early Rio Grande Valley
. In 1907 John J. Conway
and James W. Hoit began the Mission Canal Co. Irrigation system, which was instrumental in the early agricultural growth of the area. Here they built the first pump station out of hand made brick from Madero. The chimney
is 106 feet tall and 6 feet in diameter. At the top is a double row of bricks that form a partial design.
There is some mystery as to why the top of the chimney was never completed, but whatever the reason the design was never finished, the boilers began operation in 1907 and the lift station started to pump life giving water from the Rio Grande
. The 106 ft chimney carried smoke from wood-fired boilers which produced steam to drive the pump. Wood was used in units of 2 to 3 cords (7 to 11 m³) and a crew of 26 men with teams of mules was kept busy night and day to keep the boilers fed.
The plant was later operated by John H. Shary
and by Hidalgo County
Water Control and Improvement Districts No. 7 and No. 14. The property was developed for recreational use after a new pumping plant was built upstream in the late 1950s. The chimney is still standing at the site of Chimney Park http://www.chimneyparkresort.com.
Texas Historical Commission
The Texas Historical Commission is an agency dedicated to historic preservation within the state of Texas. It administers the National Register of Historic Places for sites in Texas....
in 1985, the First Lift Station in Mission, Texas
Mission, Texas
Mission is a city in Hidalgo County, Texas, United States. The population was 77,058 at the 2010 census Mission is part of the McAllen–Edinburg–Mission and Reynosa–McAllen metropolitan areas.-Geography:Mission is located at ....
once provided water for irrigating the crops of the early Rio Grande Valley
Rio Grande Valley
The Rio Grande Valley or the Lower Rio Grande Valley, informally called The Valley, is an area located in the southernmost tip of South Texas...
. In 1907 John J. Conway
John J. Conway
John Conway founded the city of Mission, Texas in 1907 with J. W. Holt when the two purchased the La Lomita Ranch from the Oblate fathers. Subdivided parcels were sold to arriving settlers and water was pumped from the Rio Grande by means of a pumping station called the First Lift Station and...
and James W. Hoit began the Mission Canal Co. Irrigation system, which was instrumental in the early agricultural growth of the area. Here they built the first pump station out of hand made brick from Madero. The chimney
Chimney
A chimney is a structure for venting hot flue gases or smoke from a boiler, stove, furnace or fireplace to the outside atmosphere. Chimneys are typically vertical, or as near as possible to vertical, to ensure that the gases flow smoothly, drawing air into the combustion in what is known as the...
is 106 feet tall and 6 feet in diameter. At the top is a double row of bricks that form a partial design.
There is some mystery as to why the top of the chimney was never completed, but whatever the reason the design was never finished, the boilers began operation in 1907 and the lift station started to pump life giving water from the Rio Grande
Rio Grande
The Rio Grande is a river that flows from southwestern Colorado in the United States to the Gulf of Mexico. Along the way it forms part of the Mexico – United States border. Its length varies as its course changes...
. The 106 ft chimney carried smoke from wood-fired boilers which produced steam to drive the pump. Wood was used in units of 2 to 3 cords (7 to 11 m³) and a crew of 26 men with teams of mules was kept busy night and day to keep the boilers fed.
The plant was later operated by John H. Shary
John H. Shary
John H. Shary was an American farmer and entrepreneur.-Early life:Shary's parents were Austrian immigrants who came to America and became pioneer farmers. John Shary grew up and went to school in Crete, Nebraska...
and by Hidalgo County
Hidalgo County, Texas
Hidalgo County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. Located in the Rio Grande Valley of South Texas, Hidalgo County is one of the fastest-growing counties in the United States, and is the seventh most-populous county in Texas. Its population in 2010 was 774,769, a 35% increase from 2000...
Water Control and Improvement Districts No. 7 and No. 14. The property was developed for recreational use after a new pumping plant was built upstream in the late 1950s. The chimney is still standing at the site of Chimney Park http://www.chimneyparkresort.com.