Metropolitan Water Works photograph collection, 1876-1930 (bulk 1895-1921)

Object Type: Folder
In Folder: Metropolitan District Commission - Water Division (Record Group EN4.05)

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Metropolitan Water Works photograph collection, 1876-1930 (bulk 1895-1921)

As part of its function to design, construct, maintain and operate a Metropolitan Water Works (MWW) system as authorized by St 1895, c 488; St 1901, c 168; and St 1919, c 350, s 123, the Metropolitan Water Board (MWB) (1895-1901), the Metropolitan Water and Sewerage Board (MWSB), Water Works Division (1901-1919), and, later, of the Metropolitan District Commission (MDC), Water Division (1919-1985), photographs were created to document the real estate takings for, and the construction and operations of the Metropolitan Water Works (MWW) system.The name Metropolitan Water Works was designated for the system in St 1895, c 488, s 3, as was the name Metropolitan Water District. Per St 1895, c 488, s 10, the Metropolitan Water Board was authorized to take control of maintenance and operations of portions of the Boston Water Board's Water Works (BWW) system, from Chestnut Hill Reservoir and westward to the Sudbury River Watershed, and northward to Spot Pond (Stoneham) and Upper Mystic Lake (Winchester). (The name: Metropolitan Water Works is designated for the system in St 1895, c 488, s 3, as is the name: Metropolitan Water District.) Through this legislation , the MWB and MWSB inherited some photographic collections created by the Boston Water Board, and created by the City of Boston Engineering Department for the Boston Water Board. In four subseries: (1) 7600 series dry plate glass negatives and lantern slides. (2) 7600 series MWW photographic print albums. (3) Loose/mounted/oversize BWW/MWW photographic prints. (4) Related archival materials. Series includes photographic documentation of the Boston Water Board's construction between 1890 and 1895, representing the Hopkinton Reservoir and Dam, and Sudbury Reservoir and Dam; and the photographic documentation of the Metropolitan Water Works system through three successive state agencies between 1895 and 1926. The MWW photos document the real estate takings for and construction and operations of the Wachusett Reservoir, Wachusett Dam, Wachusett Aqueduct, Sudbury Reservoir, Sudbury Dam, Weston Aqueduct, Weston Reservoir, and the expansion of a water supply distribution system throughout metropolitan Boston (pipe lines, pumping stations, reservoirs, standpipes). Additional major facilities in this collection include water supply and distribution reservoirs of Ashland Reservoir, Ashland Dam, Bear Hill Reservoir, Bellevue Reservoir (standpipe), Chestnut Hill Reservoir, Fells Reservoir, Forbes Hill Reservoir (standpipe), Framingham Reservoirs, Framingham Dams, Lake Cochituate, and Spot Pond; and the water supply aqueducts of Cochituate Aqueduct and Sudbury Aqueduct. Pumping stations represented in this collection include the Arlington Pumping Station, Chestnut Hill Pumping Stations, Hyde Park Pumping Station, and Spot Pond Pumping Station; and pumping engines within these facilities. Other documented facilities include Upper Mystic Lake, Mystic Reservoir, Mystic Pumping Station, Waban Hill Reservoir, Chelsea Reservoir, pipe yards; and gatehouses associated with all MWW facilities. --Other subjects include Spot Pond Brook, forestry management around Wachusett Reservoir; gypsy moth control around Spot Pond; sanitary improvement and protection of the watersheds, including Clinton sewerage treatment; filter beds; and brook and swamp drainage management; hydroelectric power plants and electrical transmission from MWW; pipe breaks along the distribution pipe lines; and employee houses, offices, and garages of the MWW. Early agency motorized vehicles are also documented. The issue of electrolysis per the effects upon iron water pipes of the underground electric currents from street railway systems is documented. Railroad relocation is documented. Images of real estate takings include residential homes and buildings; businesses; mills; town buildings; schools; churches; cemeteries; and railroad stations. In the construction images, contractor's workers camps; and laborers of various race and ethnicity are documented. Views of construction include images of streetscapes. An array of engineering maps, plans, architectural renderings, diagrams, graphs, and tables are included. Engineering equipment, and experiments in load testing for the Wachusett Dam are documented. MWW facilities in about 50 Massachusetts cities, towns, and Boston neighborhood districts are represented in this collection. The collection includes various photographic formats, including dry plate glass negatives, glass lantern slides, and photographic prints, with and without support materials. Series includes accessions from the Metropolitan District Commission (1980), Massachusetts Dept. of Conservation and Recreation (2014), and Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (2014). Materials integrated in 2014 to form present series, including transfers from: Massachusetts. Metropolitan Water and Sewerage Board. General photographs of the Metropolitan Water Works, 1916 ((M-Ar)887X--entire) and: Massachusetts. Metropolitan District Commission. Construction Division. Water and sewer construction photographs, 1876-1970 ((M-Ar)889X--boxes 1-2, 96-98, 100, and albums constituting subseries 2 of present series). Detailed holdings summary by volume: about 7,841 negatives (about 7,839 dry plate glass negatives; 2 film negatives); 618 glass lantern slides; 71 (including 2 duplicates) bound volumes of photographic prints; about 1,089 loose photographic prints; 20 volumes of annotated MWB/MWSB annual reports, with MWW image nos.; annotated halftone tearsheets from MWB/MWSB annual reports, with MWW image nos. (1.5 sets); documents: MWW lantern slide lists (27-page document; 23-page document; other lists totaling 11 pages); Wachusett Dam design sketches (2), straight dam and curved dam, 1897. --Detailed holdings summary by dimension: dry plate glass negatives (87, 4" x 5"); dry plate glass negatives (51, 5" x 7"); dry plate glass negatives (12, 5" x 8"); dry plate glass negatives (7,558, 6.5" x 8.5"); dry plate glass negatives (134, 8" x10"); film negative (3" x 3.5"); film negative (7 13/16" x 39.50"); glass lantern slides (3.25" x 4"); loose photographic prints (various sizes, but none larger than 28" x 23").

Record Details

Title: Metropolitan Water Works photograph collection, 1876-1930 (bulk 1895-1921)

Creator: Massachusetts. Metropolitan District Commission. Water Division

Contributor: Massachusetts. Metropolitan Water Board

Contributor: Massachusetts. Metropolitan Water and Sewerage Board

Contributor: Boston Water Board (Boston, Mass.)

Description: As part of its function to design, construct, maintain and operate a Metropolitan Water Works (MWW) system as authorized by St 1895, c 488; St 1901, c 168; and St 1919, c 350, s 123, the Metropolitan Water Board (MWB) (1895-1901), the Metropolitan Water and Sewerage Board (MWSB), Water Works Division (1901-1919), and, later, of the Metropolitan District Commission (MDC), Water Division (1919-1985), photographs were created to document the real estate takings for, and the construction and operations of the Metropolitan Water Works (MWW) system.The name Metropolitan Water Works was designated for the system in St 1895, c 488, s 3, as was the name Metropolitan Water District.Per St 1895, c 488, s 10, the Metropolitan Water Board was authorized to take control of maintenance and operations of portions of the Boston Water Board's Water Works (BWW) system, from Chestnut Hill Reservoir and westward to the Sudbury River Watershed, and northward to Spot Pond (Stoneham) and Upper Mystic Lake (Winchester). (The name: Metropolitan Water Works is designated for the system in St 1895, c 488, s 3, as is the name: Metropolitan Water District.) Through this legislation , the MWB and MWSB inherited some photographic collections created by the Boston Water Board, and created by the City of Boston Engineering Department for the Boston Water Board.In four subseries: (1) 7600 series dry plate glass negatives and lantern slides. (2) 7600 series MWW photographic print albums. (3) Loose/mounted/oversize BWW/MWW photographic prints. (4) Related archival materials. Series includes photographic documentation of the Boston Water Board's construction between 1890 and 1895, representing the Hopkinton Reservoir and Dam, and Sudbury Reservoir and Dam; and the photographic documentation of the Metropolitan Water Works system through three successive state agencies between 1895 and 1926. The MWW photos document the real estate takings for and construction and operations of the Wachusett Reservoir, Wachusett Dam, Wachusett Aqueduct, Sudbury Reservoir, Sudbury Dam, Weston Aqueduct, Weston Reservoir, and the expansion of a water supply distribution system throughout metropolitan Boston (pipe lines, pumping stations, reservoirs, standpipes).Additional major facilities in this collection include water supply and distribution reservoirs of Ashland Reservoir, Ashland Dam, Bear Hill Reservoir, Bellevue Reservoir (standpipe), Chestnut Hill Reservoir, Fells Reservoir, Forbes Hill Reservoir (standpipe), Framingham Reservoirs, Framingham Dams, Lake Cochituate, and Spot Pond; and the water supply aqueducts of Cochituate Aqueduct and Sudbury Aqueduct. Pumping stations represented in this collection include the Arlington Pumping Station, Chestnut Hill Pumping Stations, Hyde Park Pumping Station, and Spot Pond Pumping Station; and pumping engines within these facilities. Other documented facilities include Upper Mystic Lake, Mystic Reservoir, Mystic Pumping Station, Waban Hill Reservoir, Chelsea Reservoir, pipe yards; and gatehouses associated with all MWW facilities. --Other subjects include Spot Pond Brook, forestry management around Wachusett Reservoir; gypsy moth control around Spot Pond; sanitary improvement and protection of the watersheds, including Clinton sewerage treatment; filter beds; and brook and swamp drainage management; hydroelectric power plants and electrical transmission from MWW; pipe breaks along the distribution pipe lines; and employee houses, offices, and garages of the MWW. Early agency motorized vehicles are also documented. The issue of electrolysis per the effects upon iron water pipes of the underground electric currents from street railway systems is documented. Railroad relocation is documented.Images of real estate takings include residential homes and buildings; businesses; mills; town buildings; schools; churches; cemeteries; and railroad stations. In the construction images, contractor's workers camps; and laborers of various race and ethnicity are documented. Views of construction include images of streetscapes. An array of engineering maps, plans, architectural renderings, diagrams, graphs, and tables are included. Engineering equipment, and experiments in load testing for the Wachusett Dam are documented.MWW facilities in about 50 Massachusetts cities, towns, and Boston neighborhood districts are represented in this collection. The collection includes various photographic formats, including dry plate glass negatives, glass lantern slides, and photographic prints, with and without support materials.Series includes accessions from the Metropolitan District Commission (1980), Massachusetts Dept. of Conservation and Recreation (2014), and Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (2014). Materials integrated in 2014 to form present series, including transfers from: Massachusetts. Metropolitan Water and Sewerage Board. General photographs of the Metropolitan Water Works, 1916 ((M-Ar)887X--entire) and: Massachusetts. Metropolitan District Commission. Construction Division. Water and sewer construction photographs, 1876-1970 ((M-Ar)889X--boxes 1-2, 96-98, 100, and albums constituting subseries 2 of present series).Detailed holdings summary by volume: about 7,841 negatives (about 7,839 dry plate glass negatives; 2 film negatives); 618 glass lantern slides; 71 (including 2 duplicates) bound volumes of photographic prints; about 1,089 loose photographic prints; 20 volumes of annotated MWB/MWSB annual reports, with MWW image nos.; annotated halftone tearsheets from MWB/MWSB annual reports, with MWW image nos. (1.5 sets); documents: MWW lantern slide lists (27-page document; 23-page document; other lists totaling 11 pages); Wachusett Dam design sketches (2), straight dam and curved dam, 1897. --Detailed holdings summary by dimension: dry plate glass negatives (87, 4" x 5"); dry plate glass negatives (51, 5" x 7"); dry plate glass negatives (12, 5" x 8"); dry plate glass negatives (7,558, 6.5" x 8.5"); dry plate glass negatives (134, 8" x10"); film negative (3" x 3.5"); film negative (7 13/16" x 39.50"); glass lantern slides (3.25" x 4"); loose photographic prints (various sizes, but none larger than 28" x 23").

Digital Origin: The Metropolitan Water Works photograph collection, 1876-1930, was digitized in 2013 by Digital Commonwealth, Boston Public Library. Subseries 1-3 except duplicates and additional occasional minor exceptions as noted in collection finding aid available in digital repository. Originals for the entire series are located at the Massachusetts Archives.

Date: 1876-1930

Type of Resource: Image

Format: photographs

Extent: 185.7 cubic ft. (134 record center cartons and 70 doc. and other boxes) ; Digital surrogates:

Subject: Aqueducts--Massachusetts--Photographs

Subject: Aqueducts--Massachusetts--Design and construction--Photographs

Subject: Dams--Massachusetts--Photographs

Subject: Dams--Massachusetts--Design and construction--Photographs

Subject: Eminent domain--Massachusetts

Subject: Landscapes--Massachusetts--Photographs

Subject: Pumping stations--Massachusetts--Photographs

Subject: Reservoirs--Massachusetts--Photographs

Subject: Water--Distribution--Massachusetts--Boston Metropolitan Area--Photographs

Collection Information: Part of Collection: Record Group EN4.05 (Metropolitan District Commission - Water Division)

Language: en

Preferred Citation: Metropolitan Water Works photograph collection, 1876-1930. (EN4.05 / Series 2630X) Massachusetts Archives. Boston, MA. Accessed [insert date accessed in format DD MM YYYY]. [insert URL of resource].

Rights Information

Access Restrictions: No known restrictions on access for digital surrogates. Glass plate negatives restricted.

Terms of Use: Those records created by Massachusetts government agencies and institutions held by the Massachusetts Archives are not copyrighted and are available for public use. Copyright for materials submitted to state agencies may be held by the person or organization that created the document. Patrons are responsible for clearing copyright on such materials. For more information on copyright law, please see the U.S. Copyright Office's web page at lcweb.loc.gov/copyright.

Record Identifiers

Record Group: EN4.05

Series: 2630X

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Metropolitan Water Works photograph collection, 1876-1930 (bulk 1895-1921)

Lantern slides

Negatives: 00006-04536

Negatives: 04537-09514

Prints

Massachusetts Archives Digital Repository

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