- Fairmount Water Works
Infobox_nrhp | name =Fairmount Water Works
nrhp_type = nhl
caption = Fairmount Water Works - view from 1984
location=Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
locmapin = Pennsylvania
area =
built =1812
architect=Frederick Graff et al.
architecture= Mid 19th Century Revival, Other
added =May 11 ,1976
governing_body = Local
refnum=76001662cite web|url=http://www.nr.nps.gov/|title=National Register Information System|date=2007-01-23|work=National Register of Historic Places|publisher=National Park Service]The Fairmount Water Works in
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania was the firstmunicipal waterworks in the United States. Designed in 1812 byFrederick Graff and built between 1819 and 1822 it operated until 1909, winning praise for its design and becoming a popular tourist attraction. It was placed on theNational Register of Historic Places in 1976 and is once again in the process of winning back visitors, having now opened an Interpretive Center to aid in understanding the waterworks' purpose and history.History
Following a series of
yellow fever epidemics in the late 1700s (which was at the time thought to be caused by unclean water) city leaders appointed a "Watering Committee". The initial water system was designed byBenjamin Latrobe and accepted by the committee in 1799. His system utilized two steam engines to pump water from theSchuylkill River , into the city, then into two water tanks. From the water tanks, the water was gravity fed into a series of wooden water mains. The system was plagued with problems. If either of the steam engines failed, the water supply to the city was cut off.cite journal | last =Brown | first =Jeff L | title =Landmarks in American civil engineering history | journal =Civil Engineering | volume =72 | issue =11/12 | pages =92–172 | date =Nov/Dec 2002]The committee began searching for another solution and eventually picked John David and Frederick Graff to design a new waterworks, in order to meet the demand of the increasing numbers of city residents.
The waterworks were constructed between 1819 and 1822 on the banks of the Schuylkill River. The waterworks initially consisted of a 3 million gallon (11,350,000 L) reservoir and a pump house using steam engines to pump water. In 1822, a 1,600-foot (487 m) dam was built across the Schuylkill to direct water to three water wheels that replaced the steam engine. Later, Jonval turbines were used to lift the water.
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