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1762 Waterworks Located in the Historic Moravian Industrial Area, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
The stone Waterworks building replaced the oiginal log building built in 1754, which was the first pumped municipal waterworks in the colony of Pennsylvania. The waterworks was designed by a Danish Moravian millright for the early Moravian community in Bethlehem. The waterwheel,located inside of the buiding's lower level, which extends lower than the external ground level, turned by water from the Monocacy Creek, turned a series of gears, which powered pistons. The pistons drove pumps that moved fresh water from a spring through a lead pipe up a hill and into a 30 foot water tower. From there, the water travelled, via gravity, through hollow hemlock logs to serve the community. Benjamin Franklin studied the water works/water distribution system.. The Waterworks is designated a U.S. National Historic Landmark.
1762 Waterworks Located in the Historic Moravian Industrial Area, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
The stone Waterworks building replaced the oiginal log building built in 1754, which was the first pumped municipal waterworks in the colony of Pennsylvania. The waterworks was designed by a Danish Moravian millright for the early Moravian community in Bethlehem. The waterwheel,located inside of the buiding's lower level, which extends lower than the external ground level, turned by water from the Monocacy Creek, turned a series of gears, which powered pistons. The pistons drove pumps that moved fresh water from a spring through a lead pipe up a hill and into a 30 foot water tower. From there, the water travelled, via gravity, through hollow hemlock logs to serve the community. Benjamin Franklin studied the water works/water distribution system.. The Waterworks is designated a U.S. National Historic Landmark.