National Register of Historic Places

Chestnut Hill Reservoir Historic District

Boston, Suffolk County, Massachusetts
Listed
January 18, 1990
Type
District
Period
Listed
Ref No.
89002271

About this property

The Chestnut Hill Reservoir Historic District is a historic district encompassing the Chestnut Hill Reservoir and the surrounding water works facilities which were historically used to provide fresh water to Boston, Massachusetts, and surrounding towns. The district is nearly coextensive with the Chestnut Hill Reservation, a state park managed by the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR); those elements of the water works that are still required as an emergency backup are managed by the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (MWRA). The reservoir is located between Beacon Street and Commonwealth Avenue in Boston's Chestnut Hill district, just east of the Boston College Main Campus Historic District. The Chestnut Hill Reservoir was built between 1865 and 1870 to supplement the capacity of the Brookline Reservoir, which was then the terminus of the Cochituate Aqueduct. The Sudbury Aqueduct was completed in 1878, providing water to the reservoir from the Sudbury River in Boston's western suburbs. Its terminal chamber, a single-story granite Romanesque structure with a hip roof, stands across Beacon Street from the reservoir, and houses gates for controlling flow into the reservoir from both the Cochituate Aqueduct (now defunct) and the Sudbury Aqueduct (in backup service), and from the reservoir to the Brookline Reservoir. The other major structure in the district is the high service pumping station, a massive Romanesque structure designed by Arthur Vinal in 1887, which is now a museum. The Chestnut Hill Reservoir and pumping stations were designated a Boston Landmark by the Boston Landmarks Commission in 1989.

Location

Boston, Suffolk County, Massachusetts
42.33529, -71.15675

Categories

COMMUNITY PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENTENGINEERINGPOLITICS/GOVERNMENTARCHITECTURE
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about Chestnut Hill Reservoir Historic District

This page lists Chestnut Hill Reservoir Historic District. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
First month just $5.99, then $11.99 a month. Unlimited locations, cancel anytime.

Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.

Start your Chestnut Hill Reservoir Historic District report
Or see a real report first

Nearby Historic Sites

Evergreen Cemetery
Listed
0.4 mi
Cathedral of St. George Historic District
Listed
0.5 mi
House at 83 Penniman Place
Industrial
0.5 mi
Strathmore Road Historic District
Listed
0.5 mi
Old Chestnut Hill Historic District (Boundary Increase)
Listed
0.7 mi

Nearby Battles

Siege of Boston – Roxbury Lines
1775Revolutionary War
2.9 mi
Siege of Boston – Cambridge Lines
1775Revolutionary War
3.6 mi

Questions about this property

When was Chestnut Hill Reservoir Historic District listed on the National Register?

Chestnut Hill Reservoir Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on January 18, 1990.

What type of historic resource is Chestnut Hill Reservoir Historic District?

Chestnut Hill Reservoir Historic District is classified as a district in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Chestnut Hill Reservoir Historic District?

The period of significance for Chestnut Hill Reservoir Historic District is recorded as the listed era.

Can I research the history near Chestnut Hill Reservoir Historic District?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Chestnut Hill Reservoir Historic District will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

More in Suffolk County

Historic places, battles, and census history across Suffolk County.

Explore SuffolkCounty ›

More historic places in Massachusetts

Browse all historic places in Massachusetts.

View Massachusettshistoric sites ›

Conflict records

Explore 19,000+ military engagements across American history.

Browse US conflicts ›

Massachusetts history

Colonial settlement, territorial period, and statehood narrative.

Massachusettshistory ›

Research the history near this site

An Aubrey US report for an address near Chestnut Hill Reservoir Historic District will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.

Research your locationView a free sample report