The Virginia American Water Company Collection Finding Aid MS103

The Virginia American Water Company Collection Finding Aid MS103


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Local History and Special Collections Branch, Alexandria Library

717 Queen Street
Alexandria, VA 22314
Business Number: 703-746-1791
lhsc@alexlibraryva.org
URL: http://alexlibraryva.org/lhsc

Angie Rickwalt

Repository
Local History and Special Collections Branch, Alexandria Library
Identification
MS103
Title
The Virginia American Water Company Collection (MS103) 1866-1988
URL:
https://alexlibraryva.libraryhost.com/repositories/2/resources/19
Quantity
7 Linear Feet, 15 Boxes
Creator
Virginia American Water Company
Language
English .

Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

[Item identification], Virginia American Water Company Collection, MS103, Alexandria Library, Local History/Special Collections, Alexandria, Va.

Biographical / Historical

The Virginia American Water Company was originally founded in 1852 as the Alexandria Water Company. The idea for a supply of clean water can be attributed to Benjamin Hallowell, who after losing three children to disease, may have realized the importance of clean water. The Alexandria Water Company was chartered by the Virginia Legislature on March 22, 1850 and Hallowell served as its first President. The company expanded in the early 1900s and again in the 1950s. In 1972, the company merged with the Old Dominion Water Corporation and the Prince William Water Company to become the Virginia American Water Company.

Content Description

The collection consists of financial records, such as account books from the 1800s; dividend payments; income tax returns from 1919-1928; company records and reports; an employee records book from the 1920s-1940; letters of correspondence; company histories; franchise map; and newsclippings from various newspapers in 1956-1957. Of particular interest are the 1867 property book and the book containing the "Copies of Deeds, Agreements, & Contracts" from 1853-1892. Both contain drawings and diagrams of where water pipes had been laid in Old Town.

Arrangement

The collection is arranged in six series as follows: Series I: Correspondence, 1866-1980 Series II: Company Records, 1859-1960 Series III: Financial Records, 1852-1929 and Annual Reports, 1851-1879 Series IV: Legal Documents, 1924-1948 Series V: Company History/Photographs and Miscellaneous Items Series VI: Drawings and Sketches

Related Material

Alexandria Chamber of Commerce, Box 202; Alexandria City Records, Box 19MM, Box 19UU (Water and gas pipes, 1855); Boothe Family Papers, Box 164 (Annual Reports, 1851-1879); Box 195.

Erickson, Philip M., Cdr. Alexandria Water Company Permits: The First 1000 'Pipers.' Alexandria, VA: City of Alexandria Archaeology, 1988. Hallowell, Benjamin. Autobiography of Benjamin Hallowell. Philadelphia: Friends Book Association, 1884. Swain, Perry Carpenter. "Robert Hartshorne Miller, 1798-1874, A Quaker Presence in Alexandria." Graduate Thesis, George Washington University, 1988.

Subjects and Indexing Terms

Significant Places Associated With the Collection

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Container List

Series I: Correspondence
1866-1980
Scope and Contents

This series includes business letters, letters to employees, and other various correspondences pertaining to the early years of the Alexandria Water Company

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Series II: Company Records
1859-1860
Scope and Contents

This series contains various company records, such as personnel records, various reports and lists, all pertaining to the running of the water company.

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Series III: Financial Records and Annual Reports
1851-1929
Scope and Contents

This series contains documents such as income tax returns, account books, a dividend book, and other various financial documents as well as the annual reports from the President and Board of Directors to the stockholders.

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Series IV: Legal Documents
1924-1948
Scope and Contents

This series contains copies of contracts, deeds, and other legal agreements involving the water company.

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Series V: Company History/Photographs and Miscellaneous Items
Scope and Contents

This series contains two histories written about the Alexandria Water Company, as well as some photocopied photographs of various reservoirs and pump stations, and miscellaneous materials.

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Series VI: Drawings and Sketches
Scope and Contents

This series contains engineer's sketches and drawings of property and pipelines

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