Exploring Amesbury - A Tour of Our Water and Sewerage Systems

ca. 1930 postcard view of the Amesbury Water Works on Newton Road. (Courtesy Amesbury Public Library Local History Collection.)

With our message today, we are sharing a self-guided tour that focuses on two important parts of our municipal infrastructure – the way our water and sewerage is managed.

This may seem a little out of place. You may think – Yuck!, what does water and sewerage have to do with industrial Amesbury? Please read on, we think you will be surprised.

The tour was developed by members of the Industrial Survey Team in 2018. As we began to explore this story, we discovered a close connection between people who were involved with local companies and who wanted to improve life in the city. The story illustrates how individuals can have an impact on their community.

Making a connection to the things around us has been an essential goal for all of us with the Amesbury Carriage Museum. On this winter day, we invite you to enjoy our guide to the water and waste water systems of Amesbury. And when the roads are clear, perhaps you will take the tour and discover a little more about our community.

More reading on the topic:

“Some Amesbury Wastewater Treatment History” by Tom Murphy

“History of Amesbury’s Water Distribution Systems” by Mike Harrold