Cess pit holds trove of clues about lives of wealthy families
A large, brick cistern with a domed top that held sewage from two of Santa Fe's wealthier households from a century ago was discovered last week during an excavation in a state parking lot. Although parts of town north of the Santa Fe River had elaborate public sewage systems in the late 19th century, the cistern, described as a "cess pit," may be one of the first on the south side. The cistern was built during the first decade of the 20th century to serve the Butler and Beacham homes in the South Capitol neighborhood and may have continued to be used for up to three decades after that part of town was connected to the city sewage system in about 1930. Eight feet in diameter and about 12 feet from its base to the top of its dome, it was built of clay bricks. The lower part is not mortared, and the bricks are arranged so there are spaces between them for water to leach into the earth. The dome's bricks are fastened together with a concrete mortar. Read more.