Documentary History of American Water-works

Enfield

Enfield, New Hampshire

Enfield was incorporated in 1761

The Enfield Shaker Community built a "network of aqueducts and reservoirs was created which finally pooled all available mountainside water in a reservoir which could supply water through a system of wooden pipes to the buildings and to a number of hydrants set about them. The Shaker buildings were thoroughly equipped with running water, in some cases on the upper stories." When this system was built, but it delivered water from Smith Pond to the Shaker buildings. A 1987 book describes an aqueduct system built 1838 that delivered water from Lily Pond..

The Enfield Aqueduct Company was formed in 1854 and began serving customers. It was not in operation in 1912.

The Mascoma Aqueduct Company was organized in 1881, but its system was reportedly built in 1860.

The Enfield Village Fire District was formed in 1863 and was authorized to build water works in 1903. The Town of Enfield took over the system at some point.

Water is provided by the Town of Enfield.

References
1903 An act to establish water-works in Enfield Village Fire District, in the town of Enfield. February 24, 1903

1907 "Enfield," New Hampshire State Board of Health
Page 34: The Enfield Village Fire District Water Works, built in 1902 and 1903, by Arthur W. Stone of Hartford, Vt., is owned by the precinct. The source of the supply is a pond of 21 acres in area, and an average depth of about eight feet, fed by springs. The watershed is about 2,000 acres, principally cleared land, with only two families living near. The water flows by gravity through four miles of iron pipe. Service pipes are lead. From one fourth to one third of the population are supplied from this system, with additional connections being made each week.
There are also two private systems of water works in town: The Mascoma Aqueduct Company, whose plant was built in 1884. This supply is from a spring two feet in depth, which supplies about 1,000 gallons daily. This is a gravity system, with one mile of lead main pipe, and also lead service pipe. Ten families are supplied with this water, but some of them also have the town water.
The other private system was built by the Enfield Aqueduct Company in 1854, the source being a well 16 feet deep. This, also, is a gravity system with three fourths of a mile of cement-lined lead pipe for a main, and lead service pipes. The average daily consumption from this system is 1,320 gallons, by 40 families, but the town water is also supplied to some of these patrons.

1905 "Some Early Industries and Inventions of the Shakers," by Henry Cumings, The Enfield Advocate, March 31, 1905.

1908 Canaan v. Enfield fire District, 74 N.H. 517, May 5, 1908, Supreme Court of New Hampshire

1912 Report of the Public Service Commission of New Hampshire, Volume 2
Page 1407: Enfield Aqueduct Company. The plant is not in operation at this time, and no debts are reported due to or from the company.
Pages 1469-1470: Mascoma Aqueduct Company.
Date of organization" September 19, 1881.
Plant Constructed in 1860.
Length of mains: 4950'

1927 Mascoma, NH USGS Quadrangle. Shows Upper and Lower Shaker Villages on the south shore of Lake Mascoma along with Smith Pond. The shape of Smith Pond matches that of Mountain Pond in the 1987 reference.

1952 "Enfield Shaker History - 1886," Historical New Hampshire, 8(5):27-28 (1952)
This society possess ... a lead aqueduct manufactory.

1977 Enfield Shaker Historic District, Grafton County, New Hampshire, nomination document, 1977, by Robert P. Emlen
Page 11: A network of aqueducts and reservoirs was created which finally pooled all available mountainside water in a reservoir which could supply water through a system of wooden pipes to the buildings and to a number of hydrants set about them. The Shaker buildings were thoroughly equipped with running water, in some cases on the upper stories.

1987 Shaker Village Views: Illustrated Maps and Landscape Drawings by Shaker Artists of the Nineteenth Century, by Robert P. Emlen