As a child, when you want a glass of water, you may see your parents pour it from a pitcher in the fridge or they’ll use the kitchen faucet. However, this everyday task wasn’t always so easy. In fact, most families had to go outside to get their water from a well near their house. Today, there are still well companies that help modern families use and care for these devices. If you’ve never heard of a water well or aren’t sure how they work, here is a quick history.

Your Guide to Water Wells

1. Far Away Beginnings

Water wells were first used in Egypt and Syria about 4,000 years ago. They were built in rocky areas filled with boulders and natural springs. By moving some of the rocks, the small rivers would collect into pools, allowing people to gather the water as needed. In China, people drilled wells as little as five to six inches with the help of wooden tubes and heavy weights. In some cases, they reached 3,000 feet deep. Wells were built in France in the 12th century, but it wasn’t until the 18th century that people began publishing books about the well-building process.

2. American Well-Building

In the early 19th century, salt was in high demand, and it was very expensive. As a result, the Ruffner Brothers drilled a well in search of salt in the year 1808. To make the opening, they hollowed out the trunk of a sycamore tree that was four feet in diameter. They pushed the trunk into the mire and quicksand where they wanted to build the well and used ropes to hold it in place.

3. New Ideas in Drilling

As time went on, people became smarter about the way they built wells. Some people chose to use horses to turn a machine that drilled the hole. Later in the 19th century, steam became popular due to trains, and it wasn’t long until energy from water vapor was used to drill wells. Eventually, in the 20th century, internal combustion engines were used, and they allowed well companies to make stronger wells in less time.

If you’re interested in learning more about well drilling, All’s Well in Fairbanks, AK, educates people of all ages about their time-tested techniques. This well company has been hard at work for over 15 years, and they offer both drilling and repair services. For more information about their work, visit their website. You can also speak to a friendly staff member by calling the well company at (907) 455-4082.