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Local History and Special Collections Branch, Alexandria Library
717 Queen StreetAlexandria, VA 22314
Business Number: 703-746-1791
lhsc@alexlibraryva.org
URL: http://alexlibraryva.org/lhsc
Angie Rickwalt
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
- Alexandria (Va.) -- Economic conditions
- Alexandria (Va.) -- History
- Municipal water supply -- Virginia -- Alexandria
Significant Places Associated With the Collection
- Alexandria (Va.) -- Economic conditions
- Alexandria (Va.) -- History
Container List
This series includes business letters, letters to employees, and other various correspondences pertaining to the early years of the Alexandria Water Company
- Text box: 1 folder: 1
Outgoing and incoming letters to the State Corporation CommissionSeptember 1919, December 1920, December 1922-January 1923
- Text box: 1 folder: 2
Circular letter to Cameron Run Pump House employees1921-12
- Text box: 1 folder: 3
Worker compensation claim by Alan Cogan1919-10
- Text box: 1 folder: 4
Letter of complaint by Mrs. Kate N. Taylor1922-11
- Text box: 1 folder: 5
Letter regarding the company audit1922-12
- Text box: 1 folder: 6
Note for D.J. Howell.
- Text box: 1 folder: 7
Letters to and from War Department regarding soldiers bathing at Edsall Station1911-06
- Text box: 1 folder: 8
Pipe distribution in Rosemont (see also blueprint collection).
- Text box: 1 folder: 9
Letter to Chief Engineer from National Board of Fire Underwriters regarding cleaning of water mains (includes drawings)1917, 1922
- Text box: 1 folder: 10
Letter regarding high water pressure1929-04
- Text box: 1 folder: 11
Letter regarding water main on Duncan Avenue1921-04
- Text box: 1 folder: 12
Letter to Fairfax County regarding Belle Haven Golf Club1927-04
- Text box: 1 folder: 13
Letters regarding assessment of American Water Company properties by Commonwealth of Virginia1929-06
- Text box: 1 folder: 14
Letters of Gardner L. Boothe, company attorney1948-10-1948-11
- Text box: 1 folder: 15
Copy of letter to Robert H. Miller taken from the Autobiography of Benjamin Hallowell1873-04
- Text box: 1 folder: 16
Alexandria Water Company Centennial Story1980
- Text box: 1 folder: 17
Miscellaneous letters and correspondence1920s
- Text box: 2
Correspondence book1866-1899
This series contains various company records, such as personnel records, various reports and lists, all pertaining to the running of the water company.
- Text box: 3 folder: 1
Personnel records1920's-1940
- Text box: 3 folder: 2
List of pipe laid1851-1917
- Text box: 3 folder: 3
Rules, Regulations, and Rates1867 and November 1918
- Text box: 3 folder: 4
Report of Holmes Run Storage Reservoir1904
- Text box: 3 folder: 5
Supreme Court of Appeals of Virginia, Wheat v. City Council of Alexandria1982-02
- Text box: 3 folder: 6
Meter lists1928-07
- Text box: 3 folder: 7
Personal correspondence, possibly by Robert Miller1868
- Text box: 3 folder: 8
Consumer premises data1920
- Text box: 3 folder: 9
American Water Works Association, certificate of corporate membership1909
- Text box: 3 folder: 10
American Water Works Association, resolution concerning effect of war conditions upon maintenance and management of water works1918-04
- Text box: 3 folder: 11
Report to Virginia Board of Health1923-11
- Text box: 3 folder: 12
Test by New York Water Board on mortar with sand
- Text box: 3 folder: 13
Statistical report on pumping stations1933
- Text box: 3 folder: 14
Inspection report1931
- Text box: 3 folder: 15
Agreement with stockholders1929-04
- Text box: 3 folder: 16
Meeting minutes1926
- Text box: 3 folder: 17
Minutes from annual meeting of stockholders and newly elected Board of Directors1927-11
- Text box: 3 folder: 18
Location of valves
- Text box: 3 folder: 19
Meter installation documents
- Text box: 3 folder: 20
Report to the Honorable J.M. Hill, city council
- Text box: 3 folder: 21
Report to stockholders1925-06
- Text box: 3 folder: 22
Proposed pipe extension1923-09
- Text box: 3 folder: 23
Drawings of properties to be plotted and properties completed1920s
- Text box: 3 folder: 24
Fire hydrants1920s
- Text box: 3 folder: 25
Advertising1933, 1964
- Text box: 3 folder: 26
Statement made by P.H. Dowdell at meeting of Fairfax County Chamber of Commerce1960
- Text box: 3 folder: 27
Materials pertaining to Fairfax County1967-1972
- Text box: 4
Property Book1867contains drawings of pipes laidExistence and Location of Copies
photocopy available in vertical file
- Text box: 5
Copies of Deeds, Agreements & Controls1853Existence and Location of Copies
photocopy available in vertical file
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.
- Text box: 6 folder: 1
Annual Information Return1921-1929
- Text box: 6 folder: 2
Receipts1865-1902, 1926
- Text box: 6 folder: 3
Income Tax Returns1919-1928
- Text box: 6 folder: 4
Dividend Summary1855-02-1929-01
- Text box: 6 folder: 5
Appraisal Summary1906-11
- Text box: 6 folder: 6
Income Statement1923
- Text box: 6 folder: 7
Income Statement1924
- Text box: 6 folder: 8
Income Statement1925
- Text box: 6 folder: 9
Income Statement1926
- Text box: 6 folder: 10
Income Statement1927
- Text box: 6 folder: 11
Income Statement1928
- Text box: 6 folder: 12
Income Statement1929
- Text box: 6 folder: 13
Prepaid insurance1924, 1928
- Text box: 6 folder: 14
Flat rate delinquents1929-04
- Text box: 6 folder: 15
Taxes1928-01-1929-06
- Text box: 7 folder: 1
Tax reports to State Corporation Division1950s
- Text box: 7 folder: 2
List of dividend payments on stock of Domestic and Resident Corporation1923-1927
- Text box: 7 folder: 3
Materials in transit1927
- Text box: 7 folder: 4
Salaries, Inventory, Certificates and Canceled Certificates1929
- Text box: 7 folder: 5
Miscellaneous financial documents1920s
- Text box: 7 folder: 6
Inventory of filtration plant1928-07
- Text box: 7 folder: 7
Annual Reports1851-1870
- Text box: 7 folder: 8
Annual Reports1870-1879
- Text box: 8 folder: 1
Account Book1850-1862
- Text box: 8 folder: 2
Account Book (Abstract of Water Rents Received)1852-1855
- Text box: 8 folder: 3
Account Book1862-1865
- Text box: 8 folder: 4
Dividend Payment Book1855-1887
- Text box: 8 folder: 5
Unused account book
- Text box: 9 folder: 1
Account Books1929-1937
This series contains copies of contracts, deeds, and other legal agreements involving the water company.
- Text box: 10 folder: 1
103G:1 Document granting Chesapeake and Potomac Telephone Company the right to construct and maintain lines1917-04
- Text box: 10 folder: 2
Agreement with Washington Railway Company1924
- Text box: 10 folder: 3
Contract towards development of "Wilmar" subdivision1924
- Text box: 10 folder: 4
Contract with St. Agnes School of Arlington1926
- Text box: 10 folder: 5
Contract for payment of meter rentals
- Text box: 10 folder: 6
Documents regarding Occoquan Company and Washington Railway and Electric Company1902, 1946-1947
- Text box: 10 folder: 7
Deed regarding purchase of Occoquan Company1948
- Text box: 10 folder: 8
Certificate of Amendment of Charter1948
- Text box: 10 folder: 9
Agreement with Fidelity-Philadelphia Trust Company1948
- Text box: 10 folder: 10
Deeds with Potomac Electric Power Company1948
- Text box: 10 folder: 11
Documents about dissolution of Occoquan Company1948
- Text box: 10 folder: 12
Materials regarding Virginia Water Company1948
- Text box: 10 folder: 13
Documents filed with State Corporation Commission regarding Virginia Water Company and Occoquan Company1948
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.
- Mixed Materials box: 11 folder: 1
History of the Alexandria Water Company, 2 reports1959-1988
- Mixed Materials box: 11 folder: 2
Photographs of St. Elmo's Reservoir, Cameron Run Station, and Taylor's Run1927-1944
- Mixed Materials box: 11 folder: 3
Miscellaneous materials pertaining to City of Alexandria
- Mixed Materials box: 11 folder: 4
News clippings1956-01-1956-12
- Mixed Materials box: 11 folder: 5
News clippings1957-01-1957-12
- Mixed Materials box: 11 folder: 6
Franchise map1966
- Mixed Materials box: 11 folder: 7
Miscellaneous Company records and documents
- Graphic Materials box: 15 folder: 1
Photos #1-5
- Graphic Materials box: 15 folder: 2
Photos #6-11
- Graphic Materials box: 15 folder: 3
Photos #12-13
- Graphic Materials box: 15 folder: 4
Photos #14-26
- Graphic Materials box: 15 folder: 5
Photos #27-31
- Graphic Materials box: 15 folder: 6
Photos #32-45
- Graphic Materials box: 15 folder: 7
Photos #46-48
- Graphic Materials box: 15 folder: 8
Photos #49-64
- Graphic Materials box: 15 folder: 9
Photos #65-70
- Graphic Materials box: 15 folder: 10
Photos #71-79
- Graphic Materials box: 15 folder: 11
Photos #80-108
- Graphic Materials box: 15 folder: 12
Photos #109-161
- Graphic Materials box: 15 folder: 13
file
This series contains engineer's sketches and drawings of property and pipelines
- Text box: 12 folder: 1
Engineeer's sketches of streets, pipe layout, and equipment1920
- Text box: 12 folder: 2
Engineer's sketches
- Text box: 12 folder: 3
Engineer's sketches
- Text box: 13
Large drawings and blueprints; oversized documents
- Text box: 14 folder: 1
Virginia American Water Company - xerox of photographs found in photograph collection
- Text box: 14 folder: 2
Annual Report for Virginia Water Company1952
- Text box: 14 folder: 3
Depreciation of account files1920-12
- Text box: 14 folder: 4
Appraisal and depreciation of company plants1906-11