| Introduction | Historical Background | Chronology | Geography | Biography | Technology | Ownership and Financing | General Bibliography |
| New England States | Maine | Wiscasset |
Wiscasset was first settled in 1663.
The Wiscasset Aqueduct Company was organized in 1802 or 1803 to supply water to the town of Wiscasset, and was probably built and operating by 1804. The Birch Point Aqueduct and Holbrook's Island aqueduct also operated in Wiscasset.
The Wiscasset Water Company was incorporated on March 12, 1895 by Henry Ingalls, William G. Hubbard, Alfred H. Lennox, Joseph P. Tucker, Albert S. Erskine, Richard H. T. Taylor, Richard T. Rundlett, Seth Patterson, George B. Sawyer, William D. Patterson, Francis E. Johnson, Clarence A. Peaslee, Edward T. Hodge and Jesse White for the purpose of conveying to, and supplying the inhabitants of Wiscasset, in the county of Lincoln, with pure water water for all domestic, sanitary, industrial and municipal purposes, and for the extinguishment of fires.
Another Wiscasset Water Company was incorporated on April 11, 1916 and appears to have operated. This company was bought by the Maine Water Company at some point, and was either purchased or otherwise acquired by the Wiscasset Water District in 1984.
The Wiscasset water
system is currently owned by the Wiscasset
Water District, a public municipal corporation established in 1984.
References
1803 Eastern Repository
(Wiscasset Maine), November 3, 1803, page 3.
Wiscasset Aqueduct. It is expected that the distance from whence the
water must be brought, is about two and a half miles--The logs must be
procured the approaching winter--the work commenced very early next
spring, and completed with all possible dispatch, and in the best manner.
Any person or persons wishing to undertake the same will please to call at
the office of Mr. S. Lee, where they will be informed of the rout, and
where the proposals will be received. Wiscasset, Nov. 3, 1803.
1892 Rockland, Belfast and vicinity: its
representative business men and its points of interest, embracing
Rockland, Belfast, Camden, Rockport, Bucksport, Ellsworth, Thomaston,
Waldoboro, Warren, Damariscotta, Wiscasset, Newcastle by
George F. Bacon
Page 112: The introduction of pure water for the inhabitants and for
ship use was accomplished by the Wiscasset Aqueduct Company, organized in
1803 ; the water being brought from Ward's Brook through cedar ducts that
terminated on the shore near the Custom House.
1895 An Act to incorporate the Wiscasset Water Company, March 12, 1895
1901 An Act to amend Chapter one hundred and fifty-four of the Private and Special Laws of eighteen hundred and ninety-five, relating to the charter of the Wiscasset Water Company, February 8, 1901.
1916 Application of the Wiscasset Water Company for approval of its contract with the town of Wiscasset, June 16, 1916
1967 Wiscasset in Pownalborough: A History of
the Shire Town and the Salient Historical Features of the Territory
Between the Sheepscot and Kennebec Rivers by Fannie Scott
Chase
Page 388-389: The Wiscasset Aqueduct Company of 1802 was formed to supply
the town and vessels with pure water from a spring at the Washington
Groves place which was led through white pine logs to the property of
Josiah Bradbury (later occupied by Millard Lewis) opposite the present
post-office. For boring these logs special augers were constructed a
little over half the log length and a man bored from each end until they
met in the center of the log. In Hall's field, now Evergreen Cemetery, it
branched into three pipe lines extending in different directions.
When the water was at last turned on, a post-rider on horseback started at
top speed from Groves' farm to see if he could outride the flow of
water. He winded his horse in his haste to get to the Point but the
water did not reach town for three days afterward.
That this white pine was durable is proved by the fact that in very recent
years when the streets have been repaired the old log water line has still
been found to be in good condition.
The Birch Point Aqueduct is older than any one now living knows. It can be
traced from the place of Will Grover to the land once occupied by the
Sturgis mill, and is thought to have been built by Jonathan Williamson or
Silas Lee at the time when a town or city bearing the name of Whitehaven
was projected at that spot. This aqueduct passes the house of Alex Grover
beyond which there is a wooden joint. It was run by gravity feed to the
mill site. It has long since been destroyed but its course can still be
traced.
The Holbrook's Island aqueduct supplied the Stinson & Clark mill with
water from a spring near the home of Emery Gibbs by a line of pipe which
was buried in the flats from a place near the old county road to the
southwestern side of that island. This, too, has gone to ruin and can
barely be traced now even at low tide.
Pure water has been obtained from the Nute spring on the Alna Road near
Langdon's Hill, from the Indian spring at Frenchman's Cove at Birch
Point, whose waters were supposed by the Indians to possess medicinal
qualities, and from the Gypsy spring.
In 1916, the Wiscasset Water Company was inaugurated and since that time
Wiscasset has been furnished with water supplied by Ward's brook.
1984 An act Creating the Wiscasset Water District
© 2015 Morris A. Pierce