| Introduction | Historical Background | Chronology | Geography | Biography | Technology | Ownership and Financing | General Bibliography |
| New England States | Vermont | Manchester |
Manchester Village was first settled in 1761.
The Manchester Aqueduct Society was incorporated in 1821 by State Governor Richard Skinner, Joseph Burr, Josiah Burton, and Joel Pratt for the "purpose of making, repairing and enjoying an aqueduct in said Manchester." No evidence has been found that this company built a system.
The Manchester Water Company was incorporated in 1894 and built a water system that was purchased by the town in 1982, which then substantially upgraded it in 1985.
The Manchester water
system is owned by the Town
of Manchester.
References
1821 An act, to incorporate an Aqueduct
Society in Manchester. November 15, 1821.
1897 "Manchester and Manchester Center," from Manual of American Water Works, Volume 4
2000 "The
Manchester Village Charter," by Congressional
Record 146(85)85:S6111 (Thursday, June 29, 2000)
In 1894 John Marsden came to Manchester from Utica, NY and contracted to
purchase the springs on Equinox Mountain from the Fire District and rights
of way for a water system. Prior to this time water for fighting fires was
stored in huge barrels strategically placed throughout the Village and
individual households were supplied by wells, or springs, or cisterns.
Pipes were laid, a reservoir built and The Manchester Water Company was
formed in October 1894. The company had purchased all the water contracts,
springs, rights of way and conduits from the Marsden family. Officers of
the corporation included Mr. Marsden, Mason Colburn of Manchester Center,
J.W. [Joseph Wickham] Fowler of Manchester Depot and E.C. Orvis of the
Village. The Marsden family continued to manage the water company until it
was purchased by the Town of Manchester in 1980.
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© 2015 Morris A. Pierce