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Date: | Fri, 10 Oct 2003 12:03:02 -0600 |
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The discussion on rain collection barrels brings to mind two
examples of cisterns with which I am familiar. I grew up in SE PA where
relatives living in a late 18th century farmhouse had a lead-lined wooden
tub/cistern in the attic. Precipitation was collected from the roof and
then gravity fed to washrooms below. Sorry I can't be more specific about
size, etc., the cistern was supposed to be off-limits to inquisitive
children.
The second example was a brick-lined cistern I excavated in Concord,
MA on contract for NPS at Minute Man. As I remember, the cistern, located
at the northeast corner of "The Wayside" had been constructed by Bronson
Alcott sometime during the 1850s, as part of an early effort to provide
"indoor" plumbing for his family. It had been filled subsequently,
literally to the brim with intact and broken wine bottles, topped off with a
"Rockingham-like" teapot with broken spout. Given the documentation we had
for the Wayside--the Alcott's and other occupants of the house were
tee-totalers--the wine bottles could only have come from Nathanial
Hawthorn's occupation of the house beginning around 1860. Excavation of the
cistern was hazardous to say the least. Even wearing heavy leather gloves,
I sustained numerous cuts and lacerations from the broken bottles.
Dedie Snow
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