On Tap: New York's Water Supply (Exhibition)

Exist Dates

1986 December 12 - 1987 August 2

Biographical or Historical Note

abstract

Exhibition. Opened December 12, 1986 and closed August 2, 1987. Located in Section 4, Floor 1 in Gallery 1 at the American Museum of Natural History. On Tap: New York's Water Supply, curated by Sidney Horenstein of the Museum's Department of Invertebrates, examined the past, present, and future of New York's water supply as well as the geological, biological, historical, and engineering aspects of the City's water system.

Summary

On Tap: New York's Water Supply, curated by Sidney Horenstein, Senior Scientific Assistant in the Museum's Department of Invertebrates, examined the past, present, and future of New York's water supply as well as the geological, biological, historical, and engineering aspects of the City's water system. The exhibition featured artifacts, lithographs, photographs, videos, and maps (1, p. 1). The Museum's Department of Exhibition and Graphics built the exhibition with the cooperation of the New York City Department of Environmental Protection. The Lucius N. Littauer Foundation provided funding for the exhibition (2, p. 53, 67).

The exhibition was arranged into seven sections, which included (1, p. 1):

*Early Water Supplies to 1842

*The Croton System

*The Catskill System

*The Delaware System

*Water Tunnel No. 3

*Conservation

*Future Supplies

The exhibition also featured (1, p. 1-2):

*The Collect (the site of Foley Square), a glacial "kettle" pond that was an early source of drinking water

*The Catskill Aqueduct System, where excavation for a pressure tunnel revealed a commercially rich deposit of lead and zinc that could never be mined

*Water Tunnel No. 3, a capital construction project begun in 1970, with location and depth determined by geological features of New York City

*The Croton Reservoir, believed to be responsible for the first appearance of the German roach in New York City and thought to be the home of several alligators

*A special police force created by the Board of Water Supply to patrol towns created for workers in the remote regions of the Catskills in the 1900s

This is a condensed summary of the exhibition. For additional information, see Sources and/or Related Resources.

Sources

(1) American Museum of Natural History. Press Release. "'On Tap' Examines the Past, Present and Future of New York's Water Supply." October 30, 1986. Departmental Records, DR 101. American Museum of Natural History Library.

(2) American Museum of Natural History. Annual Report. New York: American Museum of Natural History, 1986-1987.

For more information of this exhibition see:

Bryant, Nelson. "City's Water System: A Wonder of Engineering." New York Times, December 14, 1986.

Sidney S. Horenstein, interview by Nola Roeper. Best Talk in Town, WPIX-TV Channel Eleven, January 23, 1987.

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Related Corporate, Personal, and Family Names

American Museum of Natural History. Department of Exhibition.
Built exhibition (2, p. 53)

American Museum of Natural History. Department of Invertebrates.
Related department (1, p. 1)

American Museum of Natural History. Gallery 1.
Location of exhibition 1986 December 12 – 1987 August 2 (1, p. 1)

Horenstein, Sidney S.
Curator of exhibition; Senior Scientific Assistant in the Department of Invertebrates (1, p. 1)

Lucius N. Littauer Foundation
Sponsor of exhibition (2, p. 67)

New York (N.Y.). Department of Environmental Protection
Institutional partner (2, p. 53)

Related Resources

American Museum of Natural History. Annual Report. New York: American Museum of Natural History, 1986-1987: 4, 30, 53, 67-68.

American Museum of Natural History annual reports, 1902-2001.
"[Annual Report Department of Invertebrates 1986-1987]: 12" [1987].

American Museum of Natural History Special Collections photographic drawers
Repository: AMNH Special Collections [Black and white contact sheets of exhibition on view]

American Museum of Natural History press releases, 1933-1990s.
"Museum Programs & Exhibitions, December 1986." October 25, 1986.; "'On Tap' Examines the Past, Present and Future of New York's Water Supply." October 30, 1986.; "Museum Programs & Exhibitions, January-June 1987." December 5, 1986.; "Museum Programs & Exhibitions, March 1987." January 29, 1987.; "Museum Programs & Exhibitions, April 1987." February 27, 1987.; "Media Advisory: Museum Extends Run of Special Exhibition on New York's Water Supply." March 6, 1987.; "Museum Programs & Exhibitions, April 1987." March 16, 1987.

American Museum of Natural History Special Collections vertical files
Repository: AMNH Special Collections [News articles, photocopy of page from 1986-1987 Museum Annual Report]

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