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Plate with Water Works, Philadelphia

c. 1820
Made by Ralph Stevenson and Williams, Cobridge, England (1776–1853) Decoration after John James Barralet (Irish (active United States), 1747–1815)
Between 1799 and 1828 the Philadelphia Water Works, or Pump House, was located on a site now occupied by City Hall. Designed by architect Benjamin Henry Latrobe, the building was linked to a series of pumps that drew water from the Schuylkill River. The water was stored in tanks in the upper story of the building; from there it was delivered through wooden pipes to locations throughout the city.

Object Details

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