Pryor Avenue Iron Well - Bay View, WI
N 42° 59.842 W 087° 53.297
16T E 427594 N 4760905
Iron Well was built in 1882 and named for its high iron content. It is located on Pryor Ave at the corner of Superior Ave.
Waymark Code: WM23JP
Location: Wisconsin, United States
Date Posted: 08/29/2007
Views: 108
The following information is from the Wikipedia article:
"Drilling began in October of 1882 as a public works project by the Village of Bay View, but progressed slowly due to the dense glacial drift below. The final depth of 1500 feet was achieved later in January, at which point water pressure was enough to provide a constant supply of water to a planned network of satellite wells and fire hydrants. [1]
Once completed, the original wellhead consisted of nothing more than an exposed pipe with water spigots for public use. Some time in the 1920s the current concrete monolith was added. It stands roughly five feet tall and has a pipe on either side, from which water continuously flows out of and in to ground level drainage basins. Potted plants and benches provided by Bay View Gardening and Yard Society now flank the structure. [2]
Many area residents still visit the Iron Well to fill up on drinking water. It became a popular alternative to the municipal water supply, which draws from Lake Michigan, during the Milwaukee Cryptosporidium outbreak that occurred in April of 1993. [3] Despite both water sources being physically close to each other, they remain independent and separated by geological strata.
Water quality tests are performed regularly by the health department and DNR to ensure safety."
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