Gladstone Springhouse and Bottling Plant facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Gladstone Springhouse and Bottling Plant
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Gladstone Springhouse and Bottling Plant, 145A Boon St., Narragansett
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 Location in Rhode Island
Location in the United States
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| Location | Narragansett, Rhode Island |
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| Built | 1899 |
| Architect | Hazard, T. G., Jr. |
| Architectural style | Colonial Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 84002051 |
| Added to NRHP | May 10, 1984 |
Imagine a place where fresh, clean spring water was collected and bottled over a hundred years ago! That's what the Gladstone Springhouse and Bottling Plant is. It's a special historic building located at 145a Boon Street in Narragansett, Rhode Island.
The springhouse was built in 1899 by a person named T. G. Hazard, Jr. The building where the water was bottled might have been built a bit later, around 1911. This important site was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1984. This means it's officially recognized as a significant part of American history.
Contents
What is a Springhouse?
The springhouse is where the natural water from Gladstone Springs is collected. It's like a special cover over the spring. Inside, there's about seven and a half feet of water.
The building itself is round and made of stone. It's about 30 feet (or 9 meters) across. It only sticks up about 18 inches (or 46 centimeters) from the ground. A pointy, cone-shaped roof covers it. There's a small part of the roof that sticks out with a doorway, which is how you get inside.
The Bottling Plant Building
Southwest of the springhouse, there's a two-story building made of wood. It also has a big, one-story addition made of concrete blocks. This building has been used for many different things over the years.
The first floor of the wood building was probably used as offices when it was new. Now, it has been changed into apartments. The upstairs part seems to have always been an apartment, likely for the person who managed the whole water facility. The concrete block part of the building was where the spring water was bottled and prepared for shipping.
History of Gladstone Springs
Why the Spring was Important
The fresh water from Gladstone Springs was very important for the town of Narragansett Pier, Rhode Island. After the Civil War, Narragansett Pier became a popular resort area. People came there to relax and enjoy the fresh air. Having clean spring water was a big deal for a growing resort town.
In 1899, T. G. Hazard, Jr., built the springhouse. He wanted to make the area where the spring water was collected bigger and cover it properly. Before this, the water was just collected in an open pit.
The Gladstone Springs Water Company
In 1911, three people bought the property: Syria W. Mathewson, William R. Sweet, and Frederick C. Olney. They started a company called the Gladstone Springs Water Company.
Frederick C. Olney was a very special person in this group. He was one of the first African-American lawyers allowed to practice law in Rhode Island. The company built the bottling plant building and made the facilities larger. They planned to bottle not only spring water but also different kinds of sodas!
See also
