| Introduction | Historical Background | Chronology | Geography | Biography | Technology | Ownership and Financing | General Bibliography |
| North
Central States |
Illinois | Rockford |
Rockford was incorporated as a city in 1852.
The Rockford Water Works Company was incorporated in 1869, but was not successful in building a systsem.
The city built a Holly water works system that was demonstrated on August 19, 1875 with two steam-driven Quadruplex pumping engines. Gaskill engines were added in 1888 and 1890.
Water is provided by the city of Rockford, which has a history page.
References
1869 An act to incorporate the Rockford Water
Works Company. March 24, 1869
1877 The
History of Winnebago County, Illinois : its past and present,
containing ... a biographical directory of its citizens, war record of
its volunteers in the late rebellion, general and local statistics ...
history of the Northwest, history of Illinois ... etc
Pages 409-410: HOLLY WATER WORKS.
A number of years ago a company was organized to supply the city of
Rockford with water, as well as provide for the extinguishment of fires,
but it never amounted to anything. During the summer of 1874 the matter
was agitated again, and a favorable vote of the people taken. A committee
of construction was authorized, who began work upon the present structure
in the fall of that year, and finished it some time during the winter, at
a net cost of $34,013.81, including the lots and cost of preparation,
building, pumping pit, foundations for pumps, fitter, smoke stack, etc.
The machinery, or pumps, which began to pump for general use in March,
1875, cost $36,000, or laid down here with all the extras, $37,758.38. The
hydrants, pipes and laying swell the total cost of all to $236,144.82.
In digging for the foundations, a spring of large size was discovered,
which has been utilized, most of the water ordinarily coming from it,
while on extraordinary occasions the supply is drawn from the river, near
which the works are located.
The Holly system has this distinguishing feature— that, by a set of
powerful steam pumps, centrally located, and a system of pipes in all the
streets, a steam fire engine is placed at every man's door, with a supply
of water that is practically inexhaustable. A pressure of 45-pounds per
square inch is maintained in all the water pipes, the engines running fast
or slow automatically, as it falls below or exceeds this point. Since the
completion of the works, no fire has ever spread beyond the building where
it originated. They are under the supervision of S. T. Holly, Chief
Engineer, and Frank A. Holly, assistant, with two firemen. They give about
thirty-seven gallons daily to each inhabitant of the city.
1887 Sanborn Fire Insurance Map from Rockford, Winnebago County, Illinois. April 1887
1888 "Rockford," from Manual of American Water Works, Volume 1.
1890 "Rockford," from Manual of American Water Works, Volume 2.
1891 Sanborn Fire Insurance Map from Rockford, Winnebago County, Illinois. November 1891
1891 "Rockford," from Manual of American Water Works, Volume 3.
1897 Sanborn Fire Insurance Map from Rockford, Winnebago County, Illinois.
1897 "Rockford," from Manual of American Water Works, Volume 4.
1913 Sanborn Fire Insurance Map from Rockford, Winnebago County, Illinois. Volume 1 | Volume 2 |
1933 "The Rockford Water Supply," by Daniel W. Mead, Journal of the American Water Works Association 25(8):1140-1151 (August, 1933)
1950 Sanborn Fire Insurance Map from Rockford, Winnebago County, Illinois. May 1950 | Volume 1 | Volume 2 |
1951 Sanborn Fire
Insurance Map from Rockford, Winnebago County, Illinois. 1951 | Volume
1 | Volume 2
| Volume 3 |
2005 "A History of the Rockford Water Department 1875-1955," by Thomas Powers, Nuggets of History 43(3) (September 2005)
2005 "A History of the Rockford Water Department 1955 to the Present," by Thomas Powers, Nuggets of History 43(4) (December 2005)
© 2019 Morris A. Pierce