Dublin Core
Title
10 in. & 8 in. Steam Gauges
Maynard Pumping Station
Maynard Pumping Station
Description
The original water works for the Town of Maynard consisted of White Pond, 3 miles south in the Town of Stow, and a pipe connecting the pond to a pumping station in Maynard (now Winter Street). The water flowed through a 15" clay pipe from the pond by gravity due to the higher elevation of the pond. There was a steam driven pump at the pumping station that forced the water to a reservoir at the top of Summer Hill.
The two gauges shown were recovered by Tom Sheridan when he was Superintendent of Public Works in 1975 having found them in a pile of debris. He does not think they are the original gauges.
The two gauges shown were recovered by Tom Sheridan when he was Superintendent of Public Works in 1975 having found them in a pile of debris. He does not think they are the original gauges.
Creator
8" gauge: Crosby Steam Gauge & Valve Co.
Boston, U. S. A.
ca. 1920
10" gauge: American Steam Gauge & Valve Manufig. Company
Boston, Mass.
ca. 1900
Boston, U. S. A.
ca. 1920
10" gauge: American Steam Gauge & Valve Manufig. Company
Boston, Mass.
ca. 1900
Contributor
Thomas Sheridan
Identifier
2024.322
2024.323
2024.323
Relation
A water history by Thomas Sheridan:
" These (gauges) were found with other water related items upstairs at the old Winter Street pumping station. Back in the 1890's it (Winter Street) was simply a right of way known as pumping station road , when the rest of the area was developed it became a street and homes were built. The area was called Riverside Park with the adjoining streets connected to each other. The gauges were used on the steam driven unit that produced the power to run the pumps inside the building. The water system consisted of the source White Pond draining water through the Brick Gate House along Hudson Road, a 15 inch clay pipe flowing by gravity as White Pond was a higher elevation than the water pumping station. It flowed along Taylor Brook inside the area now known as the Assabet River National Wildlife Refuge. The pipe drained into a concrete cistern behind the pumping station. From here, it was pumped into a 12 inch cast iron pipe along Winter Street to Mill Street then up to Summer Hill to the Granite Block Reservoir at the top that could hold 1,500,000 Gallons, then down the hill to Summer Street and into the water system in town. This method operated until 1942 when a 10 inch asbestos cement (pipe) was installed from White Pond some 13,000 (ft.?) along White Pond Road then turning toward the pump station that connected to the existing pipe. There was a 300 GPM and 250 GPM pump and building installed at White Pond to pump water into the Maynard system. This was done under W.P.A. funding."
" These (gauges) were found with other water related items upstairs at the old Winter Street pumping station. Back in the 1890's it (Winter Street) was simply a right of way known as pumping station road , when the rest of the area was developed it became a street and homes were built. The area was called Riverside Park with the adjoining streets connected to each other. The gauges were used on the steam driven unit that produced the power to run the pumps inside the building. The water system consisted of the source White Pond draining water through the Brick Gate House along Hudson Road, a 15 inch clay pipe flowing by gravity as White Pond was a higher elevation than the water pumping station. It flowed along Taylor Brook inside the area now known as the Assabet River National Wildlife Refuge. The pipe drained into a concrete cistern behind the pumping station. From here, it was pumped into a 12 inch cast iron pipe along Winter Street to Mill Street then up to Summer Hill to the Granite Block Reservoir at the top that could hold 1,500,000 Gallons, then down the hill to Summer Street and into the water system in town. This method operated until 1942 when a 10 inch asbestos cement (pipe) was installed from White Pond some 13,000 (ft.?) along White Pond Road then turning toward the pump station that connected to the existing pipe. There was a 300 GPM and 250 GPM pump and building installed at White Pond to pump water into the Maynard system. This was done under W.P.A. funding."
Artifact Item Type Metadata
Materials
The smaller gauge has a total diameter of 10 inches, made of brass.
The larger gauge has a total diameter of 12 inches, nickel plated
The larger gauge has a total diameter of 12 inches, nickel plated
Condition
Fair
Storage
SU17-3