[MassHistPres] Metropolitan Water Works Museum?

[Aaron Marcavitch]

I like the idea of a regional visitor center for water systems.  It would tie lots of things
together.  I can see a video, a water system map with light up sections, a series of informational
panels, and then some of the equipment on display.

Good thought Brian!

Aaron

--- Brian Yates <byates at COMTEAM.ORG> wrote:

> Perhaps the best way is to look at the site not as a stand alone attraction
> but aa the introduction and visitors center for a regional attraction:  The
> regional water system between Chestnut Hill and the Sudbury River and/or the
> Cochituate River and perhaps all the way to the Quabbin Reservoir.  Much of
> the Sudbury Aqueduct and perhaps much of the Cochituate Aqueduct is on the
> National Register as a linear resource.  Perhaps you could research the
> entire system, find spots where the system is visible and accessible, and
> document those in exhibits at the Museum and in hand out maps and brochures
> that visitors could take with them  Echo Bridge over Hemlock Gorge is one
> spectacular example.(www.hemlockgorge.org).  There's a museum at Quabbin,
> perhaps there are many such instances in between that could raise the
> visibity of the Museum and its viability.
> 
> 
> Alderman Brian Yates, Newton
> President, Friends of Hemlock Gorge.
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: masshistpres-bounces at cs.umb.edu
> [mailto:masshistpres-bounces at cs.umb.edu] On Behalf Of Dennis De Witt
> Sent: Saturday, March 10, 2007 2:30 PM
> To: MHC listserve
> Subject: [MassHistPres] Metropolitan Water Works Museum?
> 
> Many of you may be familiar with the wonderful Richardsonian "high  
> service" Metropolitan Water Works pumping station that stands next to  
> the Chestnut Hill Reservoir (and across the reservoir from from the  
> Boston College Campus) -- just beyond the Cleveland Circle  
> termination of Brookline's Beacon St. boulevard.
> 
> As you also may know, the site has been redeveloped with about 100  
> DUs of housing in its four existing buildings and one new building,  
> with the intent of supporting the preservation of the main engine  
> room of the of the high service building, which contains three steam  
> pumping engines, dating back to the 1890s.
> 
> Originally the entire interior of the high service building was to  
> have contained a museum.  But, as economic realities set in, four  
> ancillary spaces, such as the coal bunker, we designated to become  
> large condo units.
> 
> Early in the process a museum pro forma was developed developed based  
> on the larger model.  Given the now reduced space it doesn't credible  
> in terms of visitations, budget, or operating model -- if, indeed, it  
> ever was.
> 
> Can you think of a viable model or analogy, of any sort, in New  
> England or elsewhere, for something like this situation -- i.e. a  
> museum with three spectacular but static 100 year old steam  
> leviathans in a wonderful building?
> 
> In some way the Larz Andrson auto museum might be an analogy in terms  
> of architecture and location but everyone (OK, every male) to some  
> extent can identify with cars.  Another analogy that comes to mind (a  
> site I last visited 40 years ago, which says something) would be the  
> Saugus iron works -- nothing much happened other than a water wheel  
> turning, as I recall.
> 
> Is the "museum" model wrong?  Is a better analogy the house-museum  
> (or maybe a fire house museum, of which there must be some, somewhere)?
> 
> Anyone got any suggestions of good analogies in New England or  
> elsewhere?
> 
> Dennis De Witt
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--------
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