
Plans of Sewers in the City of Providence
1873-1887
RG 218
The city's rapid expansion after the Civil War began to pose major public health issues regarding the disposal of sewage. Until 1873 the Board of Aldermen had held the responsibility for regulating this function, but on July 3rd of that year the City Council passed an ordinance that transferred the authority to construct and maintain sewers and drainage systems on public and private property to the Board of Water Commissioners.
On February 1874 the city's Chief Engineer J. Herbert Shedd submitted a preliminary report outlining plans for the constructing of a comprehensive sewage system that included storm water catch basins, soil and building runoff, as well as the removal of sewage from dwellings. Construction began immediately and by 1880 over forty-three miles of sewers had been constructed and more than three thousand private connections made. All connections drained into the local rivers.
Scope and Content
This finding aid contains 150 plans as authorized by the Board of Water Commissioners. Each plan, indexed by street, details in color, the size of oval and circular storm drains, sewer pipes, the location of connections, catch basins and old drains. These plans cover the period from 1873 to 1887.
Size: 150 plates. Each plate measures 20" x 31"
| STREET | DESCRIPTION | PLAN No. | ||||
| Abbott Street | Knowles Street to North Main Street | 1 | ||||
| Aborn Street | Washington Street to Westminster Street | 3 | ||||
| Aborn Street | Broadway to Washington Street | 5 | ||||
| Aborn Street | Atwell's Avenue to Fountain Street | 17 | ||||
| Aborn Street | Broadway to Washington Street | 30 | ||||
| Acorn Street | at Woonasquatucket River | 6 | ||||
| America Street | Africa Street to Atwell's Avenue | 6 | ||||
| America Street | Africa Street to Broadway | 7 | ||||
| Amos Street | North Main Street to Providence River | 8 | ||||
| Angell Street | Diman Place to Arlington Street | 1 | ||||
| Angell Street | Gano Street to Wayland Street | 9 | ||||
| Angell Street | Hope Street to Brook Street | 11 | ||||
| Ann Street | Blanding Street to Tockwotton Street | 12 | ||||
| Arch Street | Gilmore Street to Arch Street Sewer | 64 | ||||
| Arch Street | near Junction Street to Greenwich Street | 13 | ||||
| Arnold Street | Hope Street to Brook Street | 14 | ||||
| Arnold Street | Hope Street to East Street | 15 | ||||
| Arnold Street | at Benefit Street | 16 | ||||
| Atwell's Avenue | Bourne Street to Aborn Street | 17 | ||||
| Beach Street | at Holden Street | 18 | ||||
| Beacon Street | Pine Street to Broad Street | 19 | ||||
| Beacon Street | Prince Street to Maple Street | 21 | ||||
| Benefit Street | Angell Street to College Street | 24 | ||||
| Benefit Street | Halsey Street to Star Street | 70 | ||||
| Benefit Street | near Planet Street to Power Street | 39 | ||||
| Benefit Street | Sheldon Street to Wickenden Street | 26 | ||||
| Benefit Street | Williams Street to Power Street | 23 | ||||
| Benefit Street | William Street to Sheldon Street | 25 | ||||
| Benevolent Street | Hope Street to Brook Street | 31 | ||||
| Blackstone Street | near Eddy Street to Allen Avenue | 108 | ||||
| Blackstone Street | Plain Street to near Hawkins Street | 101 | ||||
| Blanding Street | Traverse Street to Ann Street | 12 | ||||
| Bourne Street | Atwell's Avenue to Aborn Street | 27 | ||||
| Bowen Street | Prospect Street to Congdon Street | 28 | ||||
| Broad Street | Bourbon Street to Friendship Street | 29 | ||||
| Broad Street | at Summer Street | 110 | ||||
| Broad Street | Summer Street to Pearl Street | 111 | ||||
| Broadway Street | Bourne Street to Aborn Street | 30 | ||||
| Brook Street | Meeting Street to Angell Street | 31 | ||||
| Brown Street | George Street to Charles Field Street | 32 | ||||
| Burgess Street | High Street to Cranston Street | 34 | ||||
| Burnett Street | Greenwich Street to Public Street | 66 | ||||
| Burr's Lane | at North Main Street | 35 | ||||
| Cargill Street | West Street to Fountain Street | 130 | ||||
| Carpenter Street | Courtland Street to Marshall Street | 36 | ||||
| Chapel Street | Burrill Street to Snow Street | 37 | ||||
| Charles Field Street | at Benefit Street | 39 | ||||
| Charles Field Street | at Brown Street | 32 | ||||
| Charles Field Street | near Brown Street to Brook Street | 33 | ||||
| Charles Street | near Nichols Street to Randall Square | 145 | ||||
| Charles Street | at West River Street | 144 | ||||
| Chestnut Street | Elm Street to Point Street | 38 | ||||
| Claverick Street | Pine Street to Broad Street | 40 | ||||
| Clemence Street | Broad Street to Westminster Street | 41 | ||||
| Clemence Street | North Main Street to Moshassuck River | 41 | ||||
| Clemence Street | Washington Street to Fountain Street | 42 | ||||
| Coles Street | East Street to Brook Street | 43 | ||||
| College Street | Benefit Street to Prospect Street | 46 | ||||
| College Street | Benefit Street to South Water Street | 44 | ||||
| Courtland Street | Carpenter Street to Broadway | 47 | ||||
| Crary Street | Mary Street to Eddy Street | 49 | ||||
| Crary Street | Plain Street to Mary Street | 48 | ||||
| Dean Street | Carpenter Street to Fountain Street | 50 | ||||
| Dean Street | Washington Street to Fountain Street | 129 | ||||
| Dyer Street | Orange Street to Dorrance Street | 97 | ||||
| Dyer Street | Ship Street to Dorrance Street | 124 | ||||
| Eagle Street | Atwell's Street to Woonasquatucket River | 51 | ||||
| East Bacon Street | Beacon Street to Marlborough street | 22 | ||||
| East Street | Transit Street to Wickenden Street | 52 | ||||
| East Street | Wickenden Street to Tockwotten Street | 52 | ||||
| Eddy Street | Broad Street to Pine Street | 52 | ||||
| Eddy Street | Hospital Street to Borden Street | 76 | ||||
| Eddy Street | Ship Street to Clifford Street | 54 | ||||
| Eddy Street | at Worcester Street | 134 | ||||
| Elbow Street | Tippercanoe Street to Ship Street | 23 | ||||
| Federal Street | Bradford Street to Broadway | 56 | ||||
| Federal Street | Tefft Street to Dean Street | 55 | ||||
| Fenner Strreet | Broad Street to High Street | 57 | ||||
| Foster Street | Pine Street to Broad Street | 60 | ||||
| Friendship Street | at Beacon Street | 36 | ||||
| Friendship Street | Chestnut to near Richmond Street | 58 | ||||
| Friendship Street | at Prince Street | 22 | ||||
| Friendship Street | Richmond Street to Dorrance Street | 117 | ||||
| Friendship Street | Stewart Street to Pearl Street | 59 | ||||
| Fulton Street | Union Street to Eddy Street | 61 | ||||
| George Street | Cooke Street to Brook Street | 62 | ||||
| George Street | Cooke Street to Governor Street | 63 | ||||
| Gilmore Street | near Arch Street | 64 | ||||
| Governor Street | George Street to Benevolent Street | 63 | ||||
| Governor Street | Manning Street to George Street | 65 | ||||
| Greenwich Street | Arch Street to Bridgham Street | 13 | ||||
| Greenwich Street | Daboll Street to Burnett Street | 66 | ||||
| Greenwich Street | Parkis Avenue to West Friendship Street | 68 | ||||
| Greenwich Street | Westfield Street to Wilson Street | 67 | ||||
| Halsey Street | Congdon Street to Benefit Street | 69 | ||||
| Hammond Street | Gilbert Street to High Street | 36 | ||||
| Hayward Street | north from Pearl Street | 71 | ||||
| Hayward Street | near Portland Street to Pearl Street | 114 | ||||
| Hedley Street | Walling Street to Palmer Street | 72 | ||||
| Hewes Street | North Main Street to Stevens Street | 94 | ||||
| High Street | to Woonasquatucket River | 73 | ||||
| Holden Street | Beach Street to Promenade Street | 131 | ||||
| Hope Street | Arnold Street to Transit Street | 15 | ||||
| Hope Street | Power Street to Williams Street | 74 | ||||
| Hopkins Street | Benefit Street to South Main Street | 75 | ||||
| Hospital Street | Crary Street to Borden Street | 48 | ||||
| Hospital Street | Langley Street to Eddy Street | 76 | ||||
| Hospital Street | South Street to Elm Street | 61 | ||||
| Humboldt Avenue | Arlington Avenue to Taber Street | 77 | ||||
| Jenkins Street | near Chace Street to Camp Street | 81 | ||||
| Jenkins Street | North Main Street to Chace Street | 82 | ||||
| John Street | East Street to Brook Street | 78 | ||||
| John Street | East Street to Governor Street | 80 | ||||
| John Street | Thayer Street to Brook Street | 79 | ||||
| Lane Street | Opposite Star Street | 42 | ||||
| Lester Street | Saunders Street to Pearl Street | 85 | ||||
| Linden Street | Hayward Street to Pine Street | 83 | ||||
| Lippitt Street | near Dwight Street to Camp Street | 84 | ||||
| Manning Avenue | Governor Street to Gano Street | 87 | ||||
| Manning Avenue | Hope Street to Thayer Street | 88 | ||||
| Manton Avenue | Chafee Street to Woonasquatucket River | 90 | ||||
| Manton Avenue | Malden Street to Chafee Street | 89 | ||||
| Manton Avenue | Storm Sewer Extention | 86 | ||||
| Maple Street | Beacon Street to Frank Street | 21 | ||||
| Maple Street | Frank Street to Pearl Street | 20 | ||||
| Marlborough Street | East Beacon Street to Lockwood Street | 22 | ||||
| Marshall Street | Dawson Street to Carpenter Street | 138 | ||||
| Martin Street | Charles to Moshassuck River | 145 | ||||
| Mathewson Street | Washington Street to Westminster Street | 91 | ||||
| Meeting Street | Prospect Street to Congdon Street | 92 | ||||
| Middle Street | Eddy Street to Dorrance Street | 52 | ||||
| Newton Street | at Atwell's Avenue | 47 | ||||
| North Court Street | Benefit Street to North Main Street | 45 | ||||
| North Main Street | Livingstone Street to Jenkins Street | 82 | ||||
| North Main Street | Olney Street to Lippitt Street | 93 | ||||
| North Main Street | Randall Street to Jenkins Street | 95 | ||||
| Olive Street | Prospect Street to Thayer Street | 96 | ||||
| Olney Street | East Avenue kto Camp Street | 98 | ||||
| Orange Street | Weybosset Street to Dyer Street | 97 | ||||
| Pallas Street | Vernon Street to Carpenter Street | 120 | ||||
| Palmer Street | Hedley Street to Pettis Street | 72 | ||||
| Parsonage Street | Elm Street to Point Street | 103 | ||||
| Pearl Street | Beacon Street to Plain Street | 99 | ||||
| Pearl Street | Cranston Street to Central Street | 104 | ||||
| Peck Street | Weybosset Street to Dyer Street | 105 | ||||
| Pike Street | Traverse Street to Brook Street | 106 | ||||
| Pine Street | Linden Street to Somerset Street | 83 | ||||
| Pitman Street | Governor Street to Ives Street | 65 | ||||
| Pitman Street | Ives Street to Gano Street | 107 | ||||
| Plain Street | Willard Street to Blackstone | 71 | ||||
| Plane Street | Dudley Street to Blackstone | 101 | ||||
| Point Street | Relief Storm Sewer | 109 | ||||
| Pond Street | near Spring Street to Summer Street | 110 | ||||
| Pond Street | Summer Street to Fenner Street | 102 | ||||
| Power Street | Benefit Street to South Main Street | 112 | ||||
| Power Street | Brown Street to Brook Street | 100 | ||||
| Prospect Street | Hidden Street to Olney Street | 113 | ||||
| Prospect Street | Waterman Street to College Street | 137 | ||||
| Providence Street | Dudley Street to Pearl Street | 115 | ||||
| Providence Street | Lockwood Street to Pearl Street | 114 | ||||
| Public Street | near Burnett Street | 66 | ||||
| Randall Square | 145 | |||||
| Richmond Street | Broad Street to Pine Street | 118 | ||||
| Richmond Street | Clifford Street to Friendship Street | 117 | ||||
| Richmond Street | Elm Street to Point Street | 116 | ||||
| Richmond Street | Elm Street to Ship Street | 119 | ||||
| Ringgold Street | Broadway to Carpenter Street | 132 | ||||
| Ringgold Street | Kenyon Street to Broadway | 120 | ||||
| Schofield Street | Wickenden Street to Tockwotton Street | 106 | ||||
| Sheldon Street | Benefit Street to Brook Street | 121 | ||||
| Sheldon Street | Hope Street to Brook Street | 122 | ||||
| Ship Street | Clifford Street to Richmond Street | 123 | ||||
| Ship Street | Richmond Street to Dyer Street | 124 | ||||
| Snow Street | Chapel Street to Westminster Street | 37 | ||||
| Snow Street | Washington Street to Westminster Street | 125 | ||||
| South Main Street | Crawford Street at College Street | 75 | ||||
| South Street | Plain Street to near Butler Street | 126 | ||||
| South Street | Plain Street to near Richmond Street | 116 | ||||
| South Water Street | College Street to Crawford Street | 8 | ||||
| Spring Street | Broad Street to Lockwood Street | 127 | ||||
| Spring Street | High School Estate to Broad Street | 68 | ||||
| Spring Street | High School to Pond Street | 127 | ||||
| Stevens Street | Hewes Street to Moshassuck River | 94 | ||||
| Summer Street | Pond Street to Broad Street | 110 | ||||
| Summer Street | Pond Street to near High Street | 85 | ||||
| Sutton Street | near Asia Street to Broadway | 128 | ||||
| Taber Avenue | Humboldt Street to Angell Street | 77 | ||||
| Tower Street | Atwell's Avenue to Federal Street | 129 | ||||
| Transit Street | East Street to Governor Street | 148 | ||||
| Transit Street | Governor Street to Ives Street | 130 | ||||
| Transit Street | Hope Street to East Street | 15 | ||||
| Transit Street | Mohawk Alley to Benefit Street | 16 | ||||
| Union Street | at Washington Street | 131 | ||||
| Union Street | Washington Street to Westminster Street | 132 | ||||
| Vinton Street | Asia Street to Broadway | 133 | ||||
| Vinton Street | Vernon Street to Carpenter Street | 133 | ||||
| Walker Street | Washington Street to Westminster Street | 134 | ||||
| Warren Street | Fuller Street to Greenwich Street | 67 | ||||
| Washington Street | at Dean Street | 129 | ||||
| Washington Street | near Franklin Street to Jackson Street | 135 | ||||
| Washington Street | Mathewson Street to Cove Basin | 4 | ||||
| Washington Street | Walker Street to Mathewson Street | 5 | ||||
| Waterman Street | near Brown Street to Thayer Street | 136 | ||||
| Waterman Street | at Prospect Street | 137 | ||||
| Wayland Street | at Angell Street | 9 | ||||
| Wayland Street | Douglas Street to Pitman Street | 10 | ||||
| Weeden Street | Atwell's Avenue to Federal Street | 138 | ||||
| West Clifford Street | Dudley Street to Pearl Street | 139 | ||||
| West Clifford Street | Point Street to Pearl Street | 140 | ||||
| West River Street | near Hedley Street to Charles Street | 144 | ||||
| Westminster Street | Dorrance Street to Exchange Street | 141 | ||||
| Westminster Street | Jackson Street to Snow Street | 142 | ||||
| Westminster Street | Snow Street to Dorrance Street | 143 | ||||
| Weybosset Street | Peck Street to Dorrance Street | 146 | ||||
| Wickenden Street | Ann Street to Brook Street | 147 | ||||
| Wickenden Street | Benefit Street to Brook Street | 26 | ||||
| Wickenden Street | Hope Street to Ann Street | 148 | ||||
| Williams Street | East Street to near Hope Street | 74 | ||||
| Winter Street | High Street to Broad Street | 149 | ||||
| Worcester Street | Eddy Street to the Cove | 134 | ||||
| Young Orchard Avenue | Cooke Street to Governor Street | 150 | ||||