This well was the first project when we bought our property in 1974. It was a 14 foot hand dug well left from when the property was homesteaded in the early 1940’s. It was full of debris and I climbed down and cleaned it up then made a log cribbing and cover. We used it for many years though it often had some interesting ‘floaties’ (slugs, mice, bugs) in it and it would go dry in late Summer. Sometime in the early 1990’s my wife and I cut the tops and bottoms out of four 55 gallon plastic barrels, bolted them together in a long tube, somehow walked it across the yard and stuffed it down the well. I did the rock work above ground and added the pump. It is now much cleaner though we only use it for the garden and emergency purposes. Our drilled well is 250 feet deep with good water but during power outages we have no water.
Thanks Gunta. It was my first (and last come to think of it) piece of rock work and while it didn’t quite as planned it looks and works okay. At least no critters get in now!
Thanks for commenting Charlie. Yes, they are great old pumps. For our first 6 years we didn’t have running water in the house. We hauled it from the well. A hand pump in the house would have been a real luxury!
Hard-To-Come-By Lifestyle 
Very beautiful
Thanks very much Barb!
You have all sorts of treasures on your property!
This well was the first project when we bought our property in 1974. It was a 14 foot hand dug well left from when the property was homesteaded in the early 1940’s. It was full of debris and I climbed down and cleaned it up then made a log cribbing and cover. We used it for many years though it often had some interesting ‘floaties’ (slugs, mice, bugs) in it and it would go dry in late Summer. Sometime in the early 1990’s my wife and I cut the tops and bottoms out of four 55 gallon plastic barrels, bolted them together in a long tube, somehow walked it across the yard and stuffed it down the well. I did the rock work above ground and added the pump. It is now much cleaner though we only use it for the garden and emergency purposes. Our drilled well is 250 feet deep with good water but during power outages we have no water.
I love your home made well liner solution!
Well, you know “Necessity is the mother of invention” – Frank Zappa…oops, I mean Plato
Must say you did a lovely job of it. Not just utilitarian, but aesthetically pleasing as well!
Thanks Gunta. It was my first (and last come to think of it) piece of rock work and while it didn’t quite as planned it looks and works okay. At least no critters get in now!
Nice photo
regards 🙂
Thank you very much!
My grandmother and grandfather had a hand pump in their house for the kitchen sink that was just like the one in your in your very wonderful photo..
Thanks for commenting Charlie. Yes, they are great old pumps. For our first 6 years we didn’t have running water in the house. We hauled it from the well. A hand pump in the house would have been a real luxury!