Near Morgantown in Monongalia County, West Virginia — The American South (Appalachia)
Clean Water Comes to Morgantown
The Story of the Tibbs Run Reservoir
| — | West Virginia Botanic Garden at Tibbs Run Preserve | — |
Photographed by Bradley Owen, September 26, 2026
1. Clean Water Comes to Morgantown Marker
Residents Welcome Tibbs Run Water
Tibbs Run didn't begin filling Morgantown's reservoir until 1912, but people used its water earlier. In 1889, the Union Improvement Company (UIC) bought land in the Tibbs Run watershed, known for its clean, reliable water. In just five weeks, fresh water was flowing through gravity-fed pipes down Tibbs Run and Deckers Creek into town.
When the water first poured in, crowds gathered. The Morgantown Weekly Post called it "sparkling water from the mountain springs." To prove its strength, workers hooked a hose to a fire plug on Front Street (today's University Avenue) and blasted a stream 100 feet high! People shouted with amazement: "Oh, who'd 'a' thought it?" and "Geeminy, don't she spit madly?" The next day, mischievous boys dragged the hose to the courthouse and sprayed poor Patrick Henry's statue right in the face - then even higher!
The Trouble with Wells and Rivers
The city also used water from the Monongahela River and local wells, but these weren't always safe. Wells could get polluted by outhouses, and the river often turned brown and stinky from farms and factories.
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Morgantown worked hard to improve things - adding sand and stone filters in 1897 and building a new pumping station in 1903. Even so, citizens knew the town needed a larger, cleaner, year-round supply to protect them from dangerous diseases like typhoid and cholera.
(Captions):
Patrick Henry's statue stood on top of the courthouse in Morgantown.
Outhouses like these stood behind homes on Stewart Street around 1890. Clean piped water made life much healthier for families.
Erected 2026 by West Virginia Botanic Garden.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Charity & Public Work • Industry & Commerce • Natural Resources • Waterways & Vessels. A significant historical year for this entry is 1912.
Location. 39° 37.758′ N, 79° 51.885′ W. Marker is near Morgantown, West Virginia, in Monongalia County. It can be reached from Tyrone Road (County Route 75) 0.1 miles south of Quartz Drive, on the left when traveling south. Marker is located on the Reservoir Loop Trail at the West Virginia Botanic Garden. Touch for map.
Photographed by Bradley Owen, September 26, 2026
2. Clean Water Comes to Morgantown Marker
Regionally, this marker is in North Central West Virginia. It is also in the American South, specifically in the Upper South, in Appalachia, and specifically in Northern Appalachia. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Rooted in Monongalia County: Home as Inspiration (within shouting distance of this marker); A Small Dam and a Big "Bowl" Meet the Need for Clean Water (about 400 feet away, measured in a direct line); Prehistoric Garden (about 500 feet away); 351 Commercial Street: Blanche Lazzell's Provincetown Studio (about 600 feet away); Who Wants Clean Water? (about 600 feet away); Strong Men and Horses Build the Basin (about 800 feet away); The Tibbs Run Reservoir: Then a Water Source, Now a Local Treasure (approx. ¼ mile away); Modernism and Mastery: Lazzell's Paris Influence & the White-Line Woodcut (approx. ¼ mile away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Morgantown.
Other markers no longer nearby. Clean Water Comes To Morgantown (was here, next to this marker but has been replaced with another marker now near it); a different marker also named Who Wants Clean Water? (was about 600 feet away but has been replaced with another marker now near it); Remnants of the Past: The Dam and Outlet Tower (was approx. ¼ mile away but has been replaced with another marker now near it).
Related marker. Click here for another marker that is related to this marker. This marker has replaced another at this location.
Credits. This page was last revised on September 30, 2026. It was originally submitted on September 30, 2026, by Bradley Owen of Morgantown, West Virginia. This page has been viewed 3 times since then. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on September 30, 2026, by Bradley Owen of Morgantown, West Virginia.
