The lead article in “The Evening Review Weekender” dated 15 May 1987 tells the story of a public water system in Georgetown, PA in the early 1800′s.  The story told in 1940 by Francis “Bird” Nash, my grandfather, was retold to The Evening Review staff writer in 1987 by William Reckner of Georgetown.  The water system had a reservoir which was spring fed and served a series of watering stations along the main street.  The reservoir was on the hill above the town.  From the hillside reservoir drinking water was delivered through a pipeline of conical gray stoneware.  Townspeople walked to the stone watering troughs to fill buckets with fresh spring water for home use.

 

 

 

This ingenious public water system points to the resourcefulness and cleverness of the early settlers of  Georgetown.  Who engineered the system is unknown.  The stoneware pipe has not been dated but similar stoneware was manufactured in the area in the early 1800′s according to Jack Laman who was the curator of the East Liverpool Historical Society at the time of the article.  Gray stoneware was commonly used to make crocks and jugs. 

 

Although there is no historical information about the water system, there is physical evidence that it did exist: the gray clay pipes, the stone lined reservoir, and the two springs.  Before most of its neighboring towns along the Ohio were even settled, Georgetown had a public water system.

 

 

Copyright © 2012 Francis W Nash
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