Documentary History of American Water-works

Loudon

Loudon, Pennsylvania

Loudon (or Loundoun) in located in Peters Township, Franklin County, fourteen miles west of Chambersburg. Fort Loudon was built in 1756 and the town of Loudon was laid out in 1804 by Johnston Elliott. The community has been known as Loudon Town and Fort Loudon.

The Loudoun Town Water Company was incorporated in 1821 and no further information has been found about this company, although it apparently built a system that was taken over by the Loudon Water Company, which was incorporated in 1857 with Hezekiah Easton, John Mullen, Joseph H. M'Clintic, John Beaver, Peter Stenger, William M'Grath, Jonathan Wright, Casper Mentz, Samuell Jurgess and H. C. Keyser appointed as commissioners to establish the company. The company was given the "power to lease, purchase or acquire the water works now in operation in the said town of Loudon."

The Fort Loudon Water Association was incorporated as a non-profit entity on March 29, 1954 and was dissolved on June 11, 1996. This association may have taken over the system of the Loudon Water Company and operated it until some time after the Bear Valley Water Authority was formed.

Water service is provided by the Bear Valley Water Authority, which was incorporated as the Bear Valley, Franklin County, Pennsylvania Joint Authority on December 9, 1965 to provide public water to Hamilton, St. Thomas, and Peters Townships. The system was originally built to service a maximum of 1,400 connections. At start-up in 1969, 900 connections had been established. Today, the Authority serves over 4,300 connections. The system is interconnected with the Borough of Chambersburg water system.

References
1821 An act to incorporate the Loudoun town water company in the county of Franklin. March 31, 1821.

1857 An act to incorporate the Loudon Water Company. April 24, 1857.

1967 The Morning Herald (Hagerstown, Maryland), July 1, 1967, Page 23
U.S. Grants $96,930 to Ft. Loudon. The Farmers' Home Administration in Washington, D. C. confirmed Friday that it has set in reservation a loan of $96,930 for the Fort Loudon Water Association. The loan will be used to expand and improve the water associaton's existing water system which serves approximately 120 homes in the area.

1972 Joint Comprehensive Planning Program, Borough of Mcrcersburg, Montgomery Township, Peters Township, July 1972. This document includes information about the Fort Loudon Water Association and Bear Valley Water Authority, including a map of their respective service areas.