Restoration of a unique historic water cistern was recently completed at REEF Headquarters in Key Largo, FL. REEF’s Headquarters is located in the building that was originally the home of William Beauregart Albury, one of the earliest settlers of the Florida Keys. In August 2012, the Historical Preservation Society of the Upper Keys designating the building as a Key Largo historic site and “the oldest Key Largo home in its original location built in 1913.” As its original tenant, Mr. Albury lived in the residence for forty-two years. The building has subsequently undergone various commercial proprietary changes before it was purchased by REEF in 2001.
Adjacent to the former residence were the remains of a wooden cistern built around the time of the home’s construction. This one-time functioning cistern was used to collect and store rainwater which then was used to supply freshwater to the home’s inhabitants. Prior to 1942, Florida Keys early settlers would often use cisterns alongside their homes before freshwater could be transported to the Keys via Flagler’s Railroad or through a pipeline from the mainland.
Over the past nine months, REEF volunteers and partners have restored the water cistern. All of the original lumber was salvaged, restored and used in the reconstructed cistern. The cistern holds important cultural and historical significance as a unique architectural structure used by early Key Largo settlers. Later this year REEF will create interpretive signage detailing the history of cistern use in the Upper Keys in the early twentieth century by area residents and plans a ribbon cutting event when the restoration is completed. Special thanks to the Historic Florida Keys Foundation’s for funding materials in the restoration project and Jerry Wilkinson of the Historical Preservation Society of the Upper Keys and James Scurlock of Mother Ocean Custom Woodworks for their leadership and the hundreds of hours of hard work volunteering their time for this project.