Pryor Avenue Iron Well facts for kids
The Pryor Avenue Iron Well, also known as the Iron Well, is a special type of water well in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It's located in the historic Bay View area. This well was built way back in 1882. It got its name because the water naturally has a lot of iron in it.
At first, water flowed out of the well all by itself from a deep, underground water source called an aquifer. This is because the water was under natural pressure, like a giant underground spring. The old hand pump is now gone, replaced by an electric one. In 1980, the Iron Well became a Milwaukee landmark. It's important because it's the last public well left in the city.
Building the Iron Well
Drilling for the Iron Well started in October 1882. It was a public project by the Village of Bay View. The work went slowly because the ground was very hard. It had thick layers of rock and soil left behind by ancient glaciers.
By January, the well reached its final depth of 1500 feet. At this depth, the water was under enough pressure to flow constantly. This meant it could supply water to other smaller wells and even fire hydrants nearby.
The Well's Structure
When the well was first finished, it was just an open pipe. People could get water from simple spigots. Later, around the 1920s, the large concrete structure you see today was added.
This concrete monument is about five feet tall. It has a pipe on each side. Water flows continuously from these pipes into basins on the ground. The Bay View Garden and Yard Society helps make the area nice. They add potted plants and benches around the well.
Water for the Community
Many people who live nearby still visit the Iron Well. They come to fill up bottles and jugs with drinking water. The well became very popular in April 1993. This was during the Milwaukee Cryptosporidium outbreak. During this time, the city's regular water supply, which comes from Lake Michigan, had a problem.
Even though the well and Lake Michigan are close, their water sources are different. The well's water comes from deep underground. This means it was not affected by the problem in the lake water.
Water Quality
Health officials regularly test the well's water. They want to make sure it is safe to drink. Tests in 2014 and 2015 found high levels of strontium in the water. Strontium is a natural element found in the Earth.
City health officials said this should only be a concern for certain people. They meant people who might be more sensitive to it. It would only be an issue if they drank the water for their entire lives.
