New Well/Old Well

I have been walking past these chipped sandstone building blocks for years and years never paying much attention to them. They looked like another old, old structure from a long time ago.

A diseased Elm tree that fell in a windstorm showed the sandstone blocks had been put in a round pattern. So, like any good country boy that is curious, I started to dig.

Once I saw the limestone I knew what I had found an old well. At about 9 feet the water started to rise and fill the pool.







When this well was functional it was huge. The molded sandstone would fill the sides above ground and the limestone would line the inter part.

No need to boil this water and perhaps in a survival situation you come across blocked sandstone it might be hiding your salvation.

As to how old this well is all I can do is guess and that would be middle to late 19th century. Anytime water comes up, using limestone as a aquifer, that means you are at the top point of the water table-this well would never run dry no matter how much you took out because the pressure of the aquifer would force the water through and refill the pool. Some people call these artesian wells however that term was never used here. The limestone bottom(the aquifer) meets the water table and the result is a never ending supply of clean water-that the country folk called a 'rockwell'

Wow , right on OP good info

Thank You! For sharing this

S+ F

We had one, at the house I grew up in. It had some some kind of pressure pump on it, and when you lifted the handle, the water came out so fast. That water was like ice, you didn't even want to use it on 90F days, but it tasted so good!
Hubby and I are looking in to having our property water witched, to see if we can find one.

Is this on your property? Lucky find.

reply to post by chiefsmom

Water Witched?
Is that with the divining rods? If so, please do a thread about the outcome. I would be curious to know how accurate that is, if at all.

reply to post by network dude


Yep, with the rods. Actually, the fellow below used a forked wood, but I don't remember what kind he said.
We actually have a few people (Older) around our area, that are highly recommended. My step dad had his property done a few years ago and the guy was amazing.

It will be a few months yet, due to the weather here, but yes, a thread would be a good idea, maybe with video if I can get permission.

reply to post by spooky24

Very nice find and presentation S & F.
Regarding the period this was used, I think American Indians is actually more likely. The combination of limestone, sandstone was found in the entire Mississippi River drainage lands. Alabama too.
Do you mind saying what State you live in?
Is a wider view pic possible to get the lay of the land?
Thank you

Lower Appalachians Tennessee.

Water witchery's were common among the mountain folk except they were called seekers. It's based on science and the Earths magnetic field. The trick is to build up static electricity on a two handed rod and this was normally done by running them through your hair several times. Since water is much heavier than soil and undergrowth it produces a drag on the magnetic field that makes the pool react to the opposite pole of a Divining Rod-pulling it downward. Most seekers were women with long hair and they used the rods to wind and style their hair.

All in all they really weren't needed that much as any deciduous forest is going to have a findable water table. Finding one exactly where you want it is a different story.

My parents had a douser come in to 'witch' a well site for them about 30 years ago.

He located a spot for them to drill and told them how much flow there was and how deep it was. He was right on the money with the depth at 400 feet. I don't recall the flow that he predicted, but as I remember, he was close on that.