Home History Another pipe! An original cypress water main is headed to a museum

Another pipe! An original cypress water main is headed to a museum

by The 100 Companies
cypress water main

THNOC recently acquired an 1820s wooden water pipe from the City of New Orleans. (THNOC, gift of the City of New Orleans, 2019.0340) 

A couple of issues ago, we brought you  the story of an iron pipe removed from beneath Bourbon Street. That was a pretty cool find, but now we’ve got one to top it: a wooden pipe from New Orleans’ first waterworks.

This hollowed-out cypress log would have been part of a system that served the French Quarter beginning in the 1820s. Due to its prevalence, strength and high tolerance for moisture, cypress was a natural choice for early pipes, but that system did not last long.

By 1836, wooden pipes were obsolete. To learn more, visit our website.

– Eli A. Haddow, The Historic New Orleans Collection

You may also like

The New Orleans 100

This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Accept Read More