Visiting my growing up friends

Hi Guys,

Randal and I spent four days with Martha and Jessica in Brookline and then moved on to spend the weekend with friends Harriet and Dick and Bruce and Jean and Ilene and Bill.  I’ll write about our visit with them and our annual  ” Lobstah Dinnah” when I catch up.  Tomorrow we are heading towards home though not sure what route we will take.  I guess we’ll know when we get there.

This email is about our visit to the Metropolitan Waterworks Museum  across from the Chestnut Hill Reservoir just a short walk from Martha and Jessica’s house.  It was quite interesting and a lovely day for a walk around the reservoir too.

Ru

“The Waterworks Museum is located on the site of the original Chestnut Hill Reservoir and pumping station. By the 1880’s, Boston’s water system couldn’t keep up with the rapid growth of the city and its water needs. Chestnut Hill was identified as the location for a new reservoir and main pumping station. The original station was built in 1887, but by the 1890’s, it was clear that demand had quickly outstripped the ability to transport sufficient water. The need for more water resulted in the installation of increasingly powerful (and enormous!) pumping engines, which operated every day until the 1970’s, when the site was taken offline, and Boston’s water supply shifted to the Quabbin Reservoir. The Chestnut Hill Reservoir, however, is still used as a back-up source of water in case of emergencies.”

The composition of the red stone used was soft so could be sculpted into decorative details.

You can see the Chestnut Hill Reservoir across from the Waterworks.

http://www.mass.gov/dcr/parks/metroboston/chesHistory.htm

Martha and Randal with the Waterworks Volunteers.

The volunteer mentioned that Anita Diamant would be speaking at a Waterworks Wednesday.  I wish her talk had coincided with our visit to Martha.

Waterworks Wednesdays: Water And Faith     Wednesday, Oct 24 7:00p to 9:00p

At Waterworks Museum,Boston,MA

“Water plays a major role in almost all of the world’s major religions. It sanctifies, it transforms, it is holy. Headed by Anita Diamant (author of ‘The Red Tent’ and founder of Mayyim Hayyim) and includes Monsignor Liam Bergin of Boston College, and Dr. M.G. Reda of the Islamic Center of Wayland.

The “workings” or the waterworks, pumps and engines.

There were different stations with short video recordings that explained about the design and construction of the building and the design and purpose of the pumps and engine.  The lighting of the   interior of the  building with the massive waterworks equipment is quite dramatic and stunning.  The equipment looked like Calder stabiles to me.  I told Martha that the museum should rent out space for parties to make money and she discovered a huge brochure in the entrance suggesting just that and showing examples of table placement and settings.

A short video presentation performed by Boston area actors explained the development of the Waterworks.  It was almost like watching live theater as you followed the performance shift among three large overhead screens.

Looking down from the second story. Decorative wood was used to enhance the interior architecture.

The MBTA runs behind the waterworks building.

Walking around the reservoir.