In the late 1800s, Willimantic had its share of saloons (twenty), restaurants (eight) and bottlers of soda and spirits (six). The borough also realized that the general public had a need for drinking water. There were several watering troughs for horses that were oftentimes were shared by both. A trough had stood at the intersection of Main Street and Mansfield Avenue for years and in 1880, the Vanderman Foundry replaced it with a new one. At a Court of Burgesses meeting later in 1880, “it was voted to instruct the Warden to cause a suitable watering trough to be placed at the junction of Main and South Main streets”. (Note: that was later known as Threadmill Square). The warden followed through and a trough was placed not only at Threadmill Square (this week's picture)  but at Cardinal Square as well. An 1884 article read, “The iron watering fountain at junction of Main and South Main streets, is not only an ornament to the street but an article of much convenience to travelers. It is kept constantly supplied with water by the Linen company. The borough should displace the old barrels on upper Main and Jackson streets with substantial iron troughs. It would be economy in the end and more satisfactory to the public, as they both have never failing supplies of water”. There is also a wonderful story about the offer to give Willimantic the gift of a water fountain. At first, the offer was warmly received but subsequently turned down. And after that, other things came to light that left Willimantic’s leaders and citizens breathing a sigh of relief that they had refused it.  This story takes form mainly from articles printed in “The Chronicle” over a several year period. Unless noted, all quotes are from “Chronicle” stories. Apparently, sometime in 1881, a Mr. L.T. Frisbie , who was a Councilman either from Willimantic or Rockville, was visiting San Francisco, CA and ran across Dr. Henry Cogswell  who, in the course of conversation, offered to give Willimantic a water fountain. Mr. Frisbie passed the offer on the Willimantic’s leaders. Thus, in November, 1881, the “Chronicle” said, “An old resident informs us thatDr. Cogswell  is a native of Coventry and was an inhabitant of that town till he had reached manhood when he went to California without resources and has since become immensely wealthy. He is remembered by but few of the older residents of this town and Coventry, but is recommended by them as a gentleman of ability, character and integrity. He has erected a structure of a similar nature (the water fountain) in the city of San Francisco which is a worthy monument to the generosity of any man. The places in these parts on which he has decided to bestow gifts of fountains are Hartford, Providence, Willimantic, and we think Coventry. We have seen a drawing of the fountain which he proposes to erect, provided our people will accept it, and feel no hesitancy in saying that it will be something of which the village will be proud and an ornament to our street. There is one difficulty, however, in the way, and that is the means to supply it with water. None of the private water works are of sufficient capacity for a permanent flow, and a special aqueduct from one of the surrounding hills would have to be constructed to feed it, which would entail considerable expense. The matter will probably by presented to the people for their action whenever a borough meeting shall be called.” The reason for the offer of a fountain was that Cogswell was a temperance advocate and believed that if fresh, cool water were widely available, people would not be as tempted to drink hard spirits and so he set out to erect a drinking fountain for every 100 taverns throughout the United States. Later that November, Willimantic’s leaders received a letter from Cogswell stating, “To His Honor, the Mayor or Chairman of the Board of Management of the Village of Willimantic Ct: The undersigned offers to donate to the village of Willimantic Ct. a drinking fountain of durable material either of granite or cast iron of a tasty and suitable design or pattern hereafter to be determined which shall be of first-class workmanship, also to erect the same at his own expense provided the village or town authorities will donate the perpetual use of an acceptable location at or near the junction of the two streets on the main street in the vicinity of the street that leads to the railroad depot and in the neighborhood of Commercial block and A.S. Turner's store would be my preference as the most convenient for the mass of the people”. The borough would also be required to “ furnish a suitable foundation, light, water and ice in warm season also to keep the said fountain in good running order…. Hoping that this may meet your acceptance, and enlist your hearty cooperation, I remain, Yours, very respectfully, H.D. Cogswell”. (to be continued)