A puzzle from the past about logging and a letter from the water department dated 1950 that you can listen to.
Give it a try. Don't let this one float down the river
Good morning Norwich
Here is a puzzle that you can do brought to you by the good folks at the Norwich Historical Society who work very hard to educate us on the history of Norwich.
Here is some info from the posting:
10. Online History Jigsaw Puzzle
From: Sarah Rooker <sarah@norwichhistory.org>
Date: Sat, 27 Apr 2024 11:49:00 -0400
This week's jigsaw puzzle depicts a rite of spring--
Millions of long hardwood logs from Vermont and New Hampshire forests
floated down the Connecticut River during the legendary log drives after
the Civil War. Dozens of dams were built on rivers and streams to hold back
the water flow until the drive was ready, and then loosed to flush the
timber downstream. The last big drive of long logs on the river took place
in 1915, when 65 million feet of lumber was driven down the Connecticut by
500 men from all over New England and Canada.
This photograph was made from a glass plate negative taken by H.H. Barrett,
ca. 1870. Ledyard Bridge replaced the bridge in this photo.
Jigsaw Puzzle Link: https://jigex.com/ne9zC
You can change the number of pieces before you begin or enlarge the image
after you have completed the puzzle.
Sarah Rooker, Director
Norwich Historical Society
277 Main Street / P.O. Box 1680
Norwich, VT 05055
802-649-0124
www.norwichhistory.org
And now a letter that you can actually listen to.
A letter from the Norwich Water Company to its customers
Click here to listen to the letter
Have you ever wondered where Norwich's water supply originates? Well, it first arrived in town via a 10" wooden pipe from the Charles Brown Brook. In 1921 the Norwich Water Supply was formed to construct and operate a water supply system for the village. A reservoir and dam, designed by a retired dean from the Thayer School of Engineering, was built along the brook. There wasn't enough money for an expensive iron pipe, so wooden pipe was used along Beaver Meadow Road. The wooden pipes proved durable, but the metal bands holding the pipes together rusted and broke.  The day the main cast iron pipes in town were connected was an eventful one. The fire department was able to throw a stream of water over the Congregational Church.Â
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Below: Reservoir under construction, June 1922
In the spring, there were complaints that the drinking water looked a bit green. This was caused by the growth of the algae blooms at the reservoir, and the water had to be treated and then the lines flushed. The Water Company letter testifies to the role of watersheds and forestation to the health of our waterways. Parcel 5 is just one piece of the Charles Brown Brooks's watershed and the Water Company purchased that land from the Brown family after the death of Charles, author of The Weather Diaries...(and ps: we're offering a history hike there on May 5).
In 1933, water was piped into new neighborhoods being developed along Cliff and Hazen Streets. It's not surprising that many members of the water company were also involved in the real estate business. By the 1960s, water consumption was up to 200,000 gallons a day, and the reservoir was dropping three inches a day. Even when restrictions were imposed, the reservoir just didn't have the storage capacity to keep up with the town's water demands. Several floods destroyed the dam and its replacement which just added to the problems.
In 1978 The Norwich Fire District, a town department, purchased the Norwich Water Supply Company from the shareholders making Norwich eligible for federal and state funding for a new system. The new water department began to test wells throughout town in the search for a bigger water source. They found a real gusher of a well three miles north of town on Route 5. They drilled down 170' and hit an aquifer which stretches from St. Johnsbury to Middletown, Connecticut--approximately the same boundaries as glacial Lake Hitchcock.Â
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Below: Pumping Station on Route 5, North
Today, on average, Norwich uses 65,000 gallons of water a day--the aquifer has the capacity to provide a million gallons in a 24-hour period. To hold the water needed for residents and an ample supply for the fire department, a cement holding tank, 100 feet long, 50 feet wide and 12 feet deep was installed on Dutton Hill. The water is pumped from the well on Route 5 up to the tank on Dutton Hill. It then flows back down to town.
Norwich Historical Society has quite a few records relating to the original Norwich Water Supply Company, including notebooks and a large book that maps all the water lines in the village.
The Norwich Fire District is currently reviewing all the pipes in town to meet a federal requirement to document exactly what is underground. They were thrilled to find all the records in the NHS archives.
Letter narrated by Bob Pape, Thank You!
All the letters, along with transcriptions and audio, are online here
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