These days, it seems like we are in the age of the technological small. What was once large yet effective, is now clunky and cumbersome. The public wants their machines to be not only powerful but elegant, and elegance arrives in slender designs that fit into the palms of our hands. At the Waterworks Museum in Chestnut Hill, however, I was reminded that the titan machines of our industrial past hold a beauty of their own. The museum shares the history of the Chestnut Hill Reservoir and the pumping station that became an integral part of the city's water system. Built in the 1880s when Boston's population was rapidly growing, this Richardsonian Romanesque structure with its incredible machinery would help supply the city's new and old inhabitants with clean water. In fact, this site was one of the first in the country to regularly test the quality of the water. For an entire century the waterworks served the citizens of Boston. Now, it embraces it's new purpose of telling the tales of our industrial roots by preserving these big and beautiful pieces of progress.
Wow, this is really neat. I'm always amazed that buildings from the mid 19th century to early 20th century are so beautiful and have so many lovely details, even those who have very utilitarian purposes like these. Sometimes I think we've really gone backwards in terms of architecture.
ReplyDeleteThank you!! This place was really inspiring. The sheer size of everything was incredible and the building was such a point of civic pride for the area. I'm so happy it still stands!
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