Water and sewer construction photographs, 1928-1970.

Object Type: Folder
In Folder: Metropolitan District Commission - Engineering Division (Record Group EN4.12)

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Water and sewer construction photographs, 1928-1970.

Responsibility for operating a system of waterworks and sewers in Boston and surrounding communities was exercised successively by the Metropolitan Water Board (1895-1901) and Board of Metropolitan Sewerage Commissioners (1889-1901); the Metropolitan Water and Sewerage Board (1901-1919); and the Metropolitan District Commission (MDC) (since 1919), specifically its Water and Sewerage divisions. Upon abolition of the Metropolitan District Water Supply Commission (1926-1947), which constructed the Quabbin Reservoir, responsibility for that agency's capital construction projects and for those of the Water and Sewerage Divisions of the MDC was given to the MDC's Construction Division, known by 1972 as the Engineering Division. The Construction Division and its predecessors were responsible for constructing a system of waterworks to provide the Boston metropolitan area with clean water and an adequate sewerage system. Photographs document construction of the Quabbin Reservoir under the Metropolitan District Water Supply Commission; maintenance of these and other waterworks and sewers by the Water and Sewerage divisions of the MDC; and water and sewer construction completed under the Construction Division of the MDC. Projects include Works Progress Administration sewer construction in Rutland and Holden (1939-1942); Weston, Chicopee, and Southborough aqueducts (1939-1940); Spot Pond (1939-1969); Nut Island sewerage (1945-1953); Alewife Brook; City Tunnel; Deer Island; Charles River flood control; and other water and sewer projects in the Boston metropolitan area.

Record Details

Title: Water and sewer construction photographs, 1928-1970.

Creator: Massachusetts. Metropolitan District Commission. Construction Division.

Description: Responsibility for operating a system of waterworks and sewers in Boston and surrounding communities was exercised successively by the Metropolitan Water Board (1895-1901) and Board of Metropolitan Sewerage Commissioners (1889-1901); the Metropolitan Water and Sewerage Board (1901-1919); and the Metropolitan District Commission (MDC) (since 1919), specifically its Water and Sewerage divisions. Upon abolition of the Metropolitan District Water Supply Commission (1926-1947), which constructed the Quabbin Reservoir, responsibility for that agency's capital construction projects and for those of the Water and Sewerage Divisions of the MDC was given to the MDC's Construction Division, known by 1972 as the Engineering Division.The Construction Division and its predecessors were responsible for constructing a system of waterworks to provide the Boston metropolitan area with clean water and an adequate sewerage system. Photographs document construction of the Quabbin Reservoir under the Metropolitan District Water Supply Commission; maintenance of these and other waterworks and sewers by the Water and Sewerage divisions of the MDC; and water and sewer construction completed under the Construction Division of the MDC.Projects include Works Progress Administration sewer construction in Rutland and Holden (1939-1942); Weston, Chicopee, and Southborough aqueducts (1939-1940); Spot Pond (1939-1969); Nut Island sewerage (1945-1953); Alewife Brook; City Tunnel; Deer Island; Charles River flood control; and other water and sewer projects in the Boston metropolitan area.

Digital Origin: Only four contracts (115, 117, 193, and 338) of Water and sewer construction photographs, 1928-1970 were digitized by the Northeast Document Conservation Center in September-October 2015. Originals for the entire series are located at the Massachusetts Archives.

Date: 1928-1970

Type of Resource: Image

Format: photographs

Extent: Physical materials: 31 cubic ft. (80 doc. boxes and 40 boxes) ; Digital surrogates: 576 MB including metadata

Subject: Aqueducts--Design and construction

Subject: Waterworks--Design and construction

Subject: Reservoirs--Design and construction

Subject: Sewage disposal plants--Design and construction

Collection Information: Part of Collection: Record Group EN4.12 (Metropolitan District Commission – Engineering Division)

Language: en

Preferred Citation: Water and sewer construction photographs, 1928-1970. (EN4.12 / Series 889X) Massachusetts Archives. Boston, MA. Accessed [insert date accessed in format DD Mth. YYYY]. [insert URL of resource].

Rights Information

Access Restrictions: none

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