Documentary History of American Water-works

Westminster

Westminster, Vermont

The Village of Westminster is in the Town of Westminster, which was chartered in 1735 and is Vermont's oldest town.

In 1787, eight residents of Westminster agreed to collectively built an underground water conduit to serve their houses. By 1803 the eleven proprietors formed the "Hydrostatic Society" to own and manage the system.

The Westminster Aqueduct Society was incorporated in 1806 by Sylvester Sage, Asa Averill, Mark Richards, Abraham Nutting, Eleazer May, Reuben Atwater, John Averill Jr., Thomas Witt, Aaron Wales, Thomas Cone, Patrick Wall, Jabez Penniman, and Luke Brown. The society took over ownership and operation of the aqueduct. In 1835, the aqueduct society installed a four-inch soapstone pipe with a one and a half inch bore the whole length of the aqueduct.

The Westminster Aqueduct Society continues to own and operate the water system in Westminster, and is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt entity.

References
1806 An Act, to incorporate the proprietors and owners of an aqueduct, in the east parish in Westminster, in the County of Windham, October 24, 1806.

1818 U.S. Patent, Improvement in making conduit pipes, December 18, 1818, Joshua Clark and Levi Crowell of Westminster, VT. Lists of patents show these two men from Westminster, VA, which is incorrect. Stone pipes connected by a metal ring.

1897 "Westminster," from Manual of American Water Works, Volume 4.

2012 Westminster, Vermont, 1735-2000: Township Number One by Jessie Haas includes an excellent description of this system and its history.