07/Mar/2008
After 53 Years Bellingrath Water Co. Sold To Dale and Kenny Lindsey
Dale and Kenny Lindsey are the proud new owners of Bellingrath Water Company located at 17252 Greenwell Springs Road.
The company has been providing water to a portion of Central since 1955.
The new owners of Bellingrath Water also own Kenny Lindsey Construction Company that has been building subdivisions locally for 39 years.
“Ours is a mom and pop operation that builds streets and roads, and installs the water and gas for new subdivisions,” explained Kenny Lindsey. “We set up everything for a new subdivision except the electrical. Recently we hauled in 52,000 yards of dirt for the new Morgan Springs Subdivision, for example.”
Morgan Springs
Lindsey, who joined Jenkins Construction Company when he was 18 years old, has actually been in construction for 55 years. Jenkins Construction went out of business and the Lindseys formed their own company in 1969. It was while they were laying the water lines for Morgan Springs Subdivision recently that he and Chuck Langlois began to talk.
“We have been working with and for Bellingrath Water and the Langlois family for many years,” explained Lindsey. “I had no idea Chuck and his sisters were ready to sell out. After we talked I thought about it and prayed about it for three days before telling Chuck that I was interested.”
The deal includes the provision that Chuck Langlois, whose family has owned Bellingrath Water since 1955, will remain in a management position with the company for at least one year. “My dad started in 1955 with eight customers. Now after 52 years we have 900 customers,” said Langlois who suffered an aneurism and several strokes in late December of 1993. “Back then the doctors said the stress of running Bellingrath Water would kill me. That was 15 years ago and I’m still here, but it really is time for me to quit.”
Public Service Commission
Langlois explained that Bellingrath Water works under a charter issued by the Public Service Commission that says they have priority rights to provide water in an area from just past Magnolia Bend all along Greenwell Springs Road past Heck Farms to St. Luke’s Church and out Morgan Road to Thibodaux. “There was nobody providing water to the area until my dad drew up the charter back in 1955,” said Langlois.
Bellingrath has two artesian or “free flowing” wells. “Artesian just means you don’t have to pump the water out of the aquifer,” explained Lindsey. “The original well is called Old Faithful and the new well drilled in 1976 is known as Big Boy.”
The Lindseys grandson Devon Lindsey is also involved in the family business in a management capacity. While they now live in Walker, for 43 years the Lindseys lived on Hooper Road in Central. Two of their four sons attended Central Private and their son Alan Lindsey graduated from Central High School.
“We helped build Central Private,” said Kenny Lindsey. “We actually cleared the property for them and asphalted the road going in. Then as now we were proud to be involved in the bright future of Central.”
The Lindseys said their hope is that they will become know for providing the same fine service as the Langlois family is famous for. “We will be happy if we can leave behind the same kind of legacy that Chuck and his father have left,” said Dale Lindsey.
Dale and Kenny Lindsey are the proud new owners of Bellingrath Water Company located at 17252 Greenwell Springs Road.
The company has been providing water to a portion of Central since 1955. The new owners of Bellingrath Water also own Kenny Lindsey Construction Company that has been building subdivisions locally for 39 years.
“Ours is a mom and pop operation that builds streets and roads, and installs the water and gas for new subdivisions,” explained Kenny Lindsey. “We set up everything for a new subdivision except the electrical. Recently we hauled in 52,000 yards of dirt for the new Morgan Springs Subdivision, for example.”
Morgan Springs
Lindsey, who joined Jenkins Construction Company when he was 18 years old, has actually been in construction for 55 years. Jenkins Construction went out of business and the Lindseys formed their own company in 1969. It was while they were laying the water lines for Morgan Springs Subdivision recently that he and Chuck Langlois began to talk.
“We have been working with and for Bellingrath Water and the Langlois family for many years,” explained Lindsey. “I had no idea Chuck and his sisters were ready to sell out. After we talked I thought about it and prayed about it for three days before telling Chuck that I was interested.”
The deal includes the provision that Chuck Langlois, whose family has owned Bellingrath Water since 1955, will remain in a management position with the company for at least one year. “My dad started in 1955 with eight customers. Now after 52 years we have 900 customers,” said Langlois who suffered an aneurism and several strokes in late December of 1993. “Back then the doctors said the stress of running Bellingrath Water would kill me. That was 15 years ago and I’m still here, but it really is time for me to quit.”
Public Service Commission
Langlois explained that Bellingrath Water works under a charter issued by the Public Service Commission that says they have priority rights to provide water in an area from just past Magnolia Bend all along Greenwell Springs Road past Heck Farms to St. Luke’s Church and out Morgan Road to Thibodaux. “There was nobody providing water to the area until my dad drew up the charter back in 1955,” said Langlois.
Bellingrath has two artesian or “free flowing” wells. “Artesian just means you don’t have to pump the water out of the aquifer,” explained Lindsey. “The original well is called Old Faithful and the new well drilled in 1976 is known as Big Boy.”
The Lindseys grandson Devon Lindsey is also involved in the family business in a management capacity. While they now live in Walker, for 43 years the Lindseys lived on Hooper Road in Central. Two of their four sons attended Central Private and their son Alan Lindsey graduated from Central High School.
“We helped build Central Private,” said Kenny Lindsey. “We actually cleared the property for them and asphalted the road going in. Then as now we were proud to be involved in the bright future of Central.”
The Lindseys said their hope is that they will become know for providing the same fine service as the Langlois family is famous for. “We will be happy if we can leave behind the same kind of legacy that Chuck and his father have left,” said Dale Lindsey.
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