Documentary History of American Water-works

Bowling Green

Bowling Green, Kentucky

Bowling Green was founded in 1792.

The Bowlinggreen Water Company was incorporated in 1835 by James R. Skiles, M. W. Henry, Thomas Quigby, John Marshall, Richard Curd and T. C. Marshall "for the purpose of supplying the town of Bowlinggreen with good, pure and wholesome water."

The Bowling-Green Water-Works Company was incorporated in 1861 with George Lehman, Wm. Cook, A. G. Hobson, A. G. Hobson, James M. Doneldson, T. C. Calvert, G. C. Rogers, S. A. Barclay, G. W. Claypool, D. J. Williams, and John E. Robinson appointed to sell stock in the company.

Another Bowling Green Water-Works Company was incorporated in 1866 with S. A. Barclay, George Lehman, William Cook, T. C. Calvert, D. J. Williams, Elijah Claypool, and George C. Rogers appointed to sell stock in the company. The town of Bowling Green elected to purchase the entire capital stock of the company and it came under the control of the city as provided in the charter. The city formed a water commission, which built a system that began service in September 1869, pumping with steam power from the Barren River into an elevated reservoir.

The Bowling Green Municipal Utilities Board was established in 1976 and assumed control of the electric, water, and sewer systems in Bowling Green.

Water is provided by Bowling Green Municipal Utilities, which has some history on its web page.

References
1835 An act to establish the Bowlinggreen Water Company. February 28, 1835.

1861 An act to incorporate the Bowling-Green Water-works company. February 9, 1861.

1866 An act to incorporate the Bowling Green Water-works Company. February 7, 1866. § 12 and 13 authorized the town to take the entire stock of the company.

1868 An act to amend the charter of the Bowling Green Water-works Company. February 26, 1868.

1868 Request for Proposals for Construction of Water Works, Louisville Courier-Journal, March 14, 1868, Page 2.

1868 Request for Proposals for Construction of Water Works, Louisville Daily Courier, August 26, 1868, Page 2.

1882 Bowling Green from "The Water-Supply of Certain Cities and Towns of the United States," by Walter G. Elliot, C. E., Ph. D.

1882 History of Kentucky, Volume 1, By Lewis Collins, Richard H. Collins
Page 198: 1869. Sept. -- Water-works established at Bowlinggreen, Warren co.

1882 Bowling Green from Engineering News 9:405 (November 25, 1882)

1885 Bowling Green Water Works Receipt

1886 City of Bowling Green v. Potter, James & Co. Kentucky Law Reporter 8:522 (July 1886 to June 1887)
An act incorporating the Bowling Green Waterworks Co. provided that the city of Bowling Green should have the power and privilege of subscribing the whole amount of stock necessary for the building and putting in successful operation the contemplated waterworks, and that if it did so it should be entitled exclusively to all the privileges and franchises granted by the act. The city subscribed the whole amount of stock required, and constructed, and has maintained, the waterworks. Held—That it was the intention of the legislature that, in the event the city should subscribe all the stock, it should take the place of the waterworks company, and. therefore, the city, and not the waterworks company, is the proper person to sue for water rent.

1888 "Bowling Green," from Manual of American Water Works, Volume 1.

1888 Bowling Green Water Works Receipt

1890 "Bowling Green," from Manual of American Water Works, Volume 2.

1891 "Bowling Green," from Manual of American Water Works, Volume 3.

1897 "Bowling Green," from Manual of American Water Works, Volume 4

1906-1910 Records of the Bowling Green Water Works at the Kentucky Museum Library Special Collections

1976 Bowling Green Daily News, March 23, 1976, Page 10.
Ordinance merging Electric Plant Board and Water and Sewer Commission into and Estabishing Bowling Green Municipal Utiities Board. Ordinance No. 76-8.

2000 “Historic and Archival Photographic Documents of the 1869 Bowling Green Water Works Engine/Boiler Room, Repair Shop and Pump House: a contributing element of WA-B-3, the Bowling Green Water Works, Warren County, Kentucky” by Kurt H. Fiegel

2014 "The Bowling Green Water Works," Lynn Niedermeier, February 27, 2015. WKU Libraries Blog.