Industry
6
In 1909, the first irrigation well in Bailey County was dug by hand on the farm of Willard Burns. It was a pit well, large enough for workmen to enter, measuring 6 by 10 feet across and 15 feet deep. A 10-inch centrifugal pump removed 1,000 gallons of water per minute. When it was completed, settlers from miles around gathered for a "water carnival," which became a local custom whenever wells were dug. Hundreds of such wells made agriculture profitable in this low rainfall area. The well and pump were abandoned when turbine pumps came into use in the 1920s, and no signs of it remain.
Hear stories like this as you drive
ExploreHere reads historical markers out loud as you pass them: over 325,000 stories across the US. No account needed.
4.7 · 800+ ratings · Free
FIND IT
Texas · United States
