Beacon Hill Reservoir

The Beacon Hill Reservoir (1849-c. 1880) in Boston, Massachusetts provided water to Beacon Hill from Lake Cochituate. It could hold .Boston Auditing Dept. Annual report for 1875–1876 By 1876, the reservoir no longer distributed water, but rather functioned as a storage facility; it was dismantled in the early 1880s.

History

The reservoir occupied a site on the top of Beacon Hill bounded by Derne Street, Hancock Street, Temple Street, and abutting residential lots along Mount Vernon Street. Construction began in 1847.

Planners scheduled a ceremony to lay the cornerstone at noon on November 13, 1847, "but at half past eleven, the ring at the head of the mast of the derrick to which the stone was suspended gave way, slightly injuring a little boy, and breaking the leg of a little girl, by the name of Frances Maria Hobbs, and doing considerable damage at the works. The laying of the stone was consequently postponed."History of the introduction of pure water into the city of Boston. 1868 One week later, the ceremony took place with presentations by Mayor Josiah Quincy, Rev. N. Adams, and a musical band; and government officials, contractors, and guests in attendance. "A copper box 12 inches square and 6 inches deep was deposited in the stone; it contained some of the publications of the day, the various reports on water, and 2 silver plates; on one was engraved the following inscription: 'The Water commissioners deposit this testimonial of respect for the memories of the late Loammi Baldwin, Martin Brimmer, Thomas A. Davis and Patrick T. Jackson, who severally rendered important assistance in promoting the adoption of the plans for a perpetual supply of pure water to the citizens of Boston.' On the other plate were engraved the names of the city government, water commissioners, water committee, engineers and contractors."

Two years later the building was complete. On the morning of November 23, 1849, "the water was let into it through the 30-inch pipe at half past nine o'clock ... and it was filled in 18½ hours." The reservoir "is built of the most massive description of stone masonry, and is the most costly distributing reservoir owned by the city. It covers about of land, and has a mean horizontal water section of , and a capacity of ."

By c. 1876, "owing to the connection of the Beacon Hill District with the High-Surface Pumping Works at Roxbury District, this reservoir is now used for storage, and is connected with the distributing pipes only in case of fire or accident to the pumping-mains." Use of the reservoir ended by c. 1880.Boston Water Board. Annual report of the Water-supply Department for 1885. 1886 In 1883, it "was demolished to build the addition at the rear of the State House." "The original cost of this property was over $500,000."

See also

* Cochituate Aqueduct

Images

Image:1851 BeaconHillReservoir plaques Homans Sketches of Boston.png, Renderings of tablets placed on the wall of the Beacon Hill Reservoir
Image:1852 BeaconHill Boston map byJSlatter MatthewDripps.png, 1852 map of Beacon Hill area, with location of reservoir
Image:BeaconHillReservoir.jpg, Illustration of reservoir, Gleasons Pictorial, 1852
Image:1870 BeaconHill Boston map byFFuchs JohnWeik detail.png, Overview of Beacon Hill, showing State House and reservoir, 1870
Image:BeaconHillReservoir byJohnBHeywood Boston.png, Overview of reservoir, Grace Church (at center), part of Beacon Hill and West End, 19th century

References

Further reading

* Nathaniel J. Bradlee and Cochituate Water Board
History of the introduction of pure water into the city of Boston
Boston: Mudge & Son, 1868.
* Robert Campbell. Beacon Hill Reservoir. Boston Globe, November 28, 1993.

{{Coord, 42.3592, -71.0639, region:US-MA, display=title

Infrastructure completed in 1849
Former buildings and structures in Boston
Beacon Hill, Boston
History of Boston
Water supply and sanitation in Massachusetts
19th century in Boston
1849 establishments in Massachusetts