| Introduction | Historical Background | Chronology | Geography | Biography | Technology | Ownership and Financing | General Bibliography |
| New England States | New Hampshire | Hopkinton |
Hopkinton was settled in 1736.
The Hopkinton Village Aqueduct Association was incorporated in 1840 by Horace Chace, Nathaniel Curtis, Joseph Stanwood, Isaac Long, Moses Kimball, Arial P. Knowlton, William Little and Reuben E. French "for the purpose of conveying water by an Aqueduct into Hopkinton Village." The association built a gravity system using wood logs, which were later replaced with cast iron pipes.
The Association issued paper share levies, such as this one from 1892:
The Hopkinton Village Precinct bought the Aqueduct Association system in 1962.
Water in Hopkinton Village is provided by the Hopkinton Village Precinct.
References
1840 An act to incorporate certain persons by
the name of the Hopkinton Village Aqueduct Association. June
19, 1840.
1890 Life
and Times in Hopkinton, N.H., by Charles Chase Lord
Pages 242-243: In the earlier half of the present century, there
were enterprises instituted in Hopkinton that, though in part maintained
till now, would have advanced to schemes of greater public importance if
the public position once occupied by this town had never been changed. One
of these enterprises was the Hopkinton Village Aqueduct association. Water
is a domestic necessity, and wells for water are contemporaneous with
history. The first wells in Hopkinton village were in many instances
impracticable, for two reasons. The earth in this vicinity is sandy and
porous to a great depth, and drawing water long distances is not a
desirable employment. An old well on the premises of Horace Edmunds is
reputed to be seventy feet in depth. Again, the quality of the soil is so
slightly concreted that wells are in constant danger of falling in. A
number of wells have disappeared in consequence of the lightness of the
soil in this village. People have been disturbed by a rumble and tremor of
the earth, and have investigated the phenomenon to find that their well
had disappeared. Once an attempt was made to purify the old Wiggin well,
better known as the " town well," since it occupied a position in the
public street. Preparations were made for descent into it, and a man
started down to begin the work of purification. He accomplished only a
part of the descent, returning to state with much concern that there
was a large chasm in the side, caused by the caving of the earth. The
project of improvement was abandoned. This well has been closed a
number of years.
A general need prompted the formation of the Aqueduct Association, which
was incorporated in 1840. The grantees were Horace Chase, Nathaniel
Curtis, Joseph Stanwood, Isaac Long, Moses Kimball, Ariel P. Knowlton,
William Little, and Reuben E. French. Water was drawn at first by means of
logs from springs on the eastern slope of Putney's hill, about half a mile
from the centre of the village, the site of the supply being on the land
of Abraham Burnham. The water of these springs is very pure and sweet.
1897 "Hopkinton," from Manual of American Water Works, Volume 4.
1974 Annual
report Town of Hopkinton, New Hampshire
Page 130-131 Hopkinton Village Precinct, Report of the Water Board.
© 2016 Morris A. Pierce