Wentworth “Snookie” Emmons worked for the city of Concord’s sewer crew for 45 years. He was the Sewer Systems Supervisor for a majority of those years until he retired in 1998. E.J. Prescott, a supplier of sewer pipe materials, donated a manhole cover to the city of Concord in honor of Snookie’s service. In 1997, Concord General Services’ sewer crew dedicated the cover to Snookie and placed it on the northbound lane of Main Street at Capitol Street.
When the cover was pulled off the street for safe-keeping during construction of the Concord Main Street Project, Snookie’s wife, Joan Emmons, contacted General Services, saying “the family wanted to know where the cover was.” She was assured that it was safe and that the plan was to refurbish and relocate the cover.
On June 18, Joan and family joined the sewer crew for the rededication of Snookie. Four generations of family included Amanda Emmons (granddaughter), Joan Emmons (wife), Jayden Daniels (great-grandsom), Beth Edes (daughter), Jeffery Emmons (grandson), and Luella Jobin (sister). The refurbished manhole cover was placed in the pedestrian walkway near the clock tower, instead of in the street as before, where it was more susceptible to damage. Our sewer crew set the cover in its new location and reminisced about Snookie, who passed away in December of 2011.
Our current Sewer Systems Supervisor, Kevin Bartlett, had a great joy being involved in this rededication.
“I worked with Snookie for 22 years and enjoyed hearing the old stories from over the years – like how the week he started working was the last week they had horses in the stables on Warren Street, or having to line up the crew to repair a sewer service by digging the ditch with hand shovels. If anyone was deserving of a manhole cover, it was him. For all those years, he answered the call 24/7 – including weekends and holidays, just to help the citizens of Concord.”
Snookie’s family will keep a good eye on this cover for generations to come and our future sewer crew will also keep it in good care. The next time you stroll down the newly constructed Main Street, take a walk near Eagle Square and the Clock Tower. You will notice the manhole cover with yellow and black trim honoring Snookie.
