Historian Jeff Murray takes a look into West Hartford’s past to uncover some surprising information, stir up some memories, or reflect on how much life has changed – or hasn’t changed at all. Enjoy this week’s ‘From West Hartford’s Archives’ …

By Jeff Murray

This photo of the Reservoir filtration plant and aerator fountain was taken around 1955 as part of a commemorative book celebrating the centennial of the public water supply to Hartford.

On Oct. 23, 1855, the Water Board of the City of Hartford tested a new engine that would pump water from the Connecticut River to the Lord’s Hill Reservoir on Garden Street. Hartford was industrializing rapidly and had more than tripled in population from 1830 to 1855, with factories, foundries, and housing that created new, urgent demands for clean

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