Documentary History of American Water-works

Washington

Washington, Kentucky

Washington was founded in 1786 and was annexed to the City of Maysville in 1990.

A lottery was authorized in 1798 to raise $1,000 to introduced water from the public spring, or alternatively to sink wells in the main street or build a market house. The lottery was successful in raising funds, which were used to sink 22 wells.

The Town of Washington was apparently not served by a public water system until they were connected to the City of Maysville water system after annexation in 1990, although the town may have been served earlier.

Water is provided by the Maysville Utility Commission.

References
1798 An act authorizing a Lottery in the Town of Washington, and for other purposes. January 26, 1798.
§ 1. Be it enacted by the general assembly, that it shall and may be lawful for Basil Duke, Francis Taylor, David Davis, David Bell, William H. Beaumont, Alexander K. Marshall and John Machir to raise by way of lottery any sum not exceeding one thousand dollars, to be applied for the purpose of introducing water from the public spring in the town of Washington into the most convenient and eligible part of the said town.
§ 3. Provided, and be it further enacted, that if it be found impracticable to convey the water from the public spring to such place in the said town of Washington as will be of common utility, the managers aforesaid shall pay the net proceeds of the lottery into the hands of the said trustees, to be disposed of in sinking wells in the main street of said town of Washington, in such places as to them shall be seem proper and convenient, or in building a market house.

2009 The Encyclopedia of Northern Kentucky edited by Paul A. Tenkotte, James C. Claypool
Page 935: Washington. In 1798, a $1,000 lottery raised the funds to build a system of wells, the first public waterworks system in the West.

2016 Old Washington Historic District, City of Maysville
In January 1798, a lottery was authorized to raise one thousand dollars to introduce a public water works into the town from a public spring. The plan failed and the proceeds raised were used to sink 22 wells throughout the village, creating the first public water works system West of the Allegheny Mountains. Reproductions of the wells are found in the village today.