Documentary History of American Water-works

Poquetanuck

Poquetanuck, Connecticut

Poquetanuck is a village in the Town of Preston, which was incorporated in 1676.

The Poquetonnock Aqueduct Company was incorporated in 1833 by Isaac Gallup, Henry Davis, Joseph Tyler, Oliver S. Tyler, Elisha W. Miner and Thomas W. Gay "for the purpose of conducting the water in subterraneous pipes, from the springs on the land of Isaac Gallup, to the village of Poquetonnock in Preston." This company built a system using lead pipes that operated until 1913, when its owner, Benjamin Lucas, died and the water rights and property were purchased by the State of Connecticut for use of the Norwich State Hospital.

The East Chelsea Aqueduct Company in Norwich reportedly supplied water to parts of Preston in 1855.

Water is provided to portions of Poquetanuck and Preston by Norwich Public Utilities.

References
1833 Resolve incorporating Poquetonnock Aqueduct Company. May 1833.

1897 "Preston," from Manual of American Water Works, Volume 4.

1913 First Annual Report of the Connecticut Public Utilities Commission for the year ended June 30, 1912. This includes several references to the Poquetanuck Aqueduct Company, which had one mile of lead pipe and served 23 customers.

1913 "B. Lucas Dies at Sea," The New York Times, March 1, 1913, Page 5.

1913 Second Annual Report of the Connecticut Public Utilities Commission, December, 1913.
Page xlix: The Poquetanuck Aqueduct Company which was incorporated in 1834 to supply the village of Poquetanuck with water has terminated its corporate existence. The land on which were the springs supplying the company, together with all its other rights and privileges eventually came into the possession of the late Benjamin Lucas and upon his death the property was purchased by the State of Connecticut for the use of the Norwich State Hospital for the Insane.