Don鈥檛 know anything about the origin. I did work for Norfolk Southern for almost 40 years starting in the mid 80鈥檚 and put the crossing protection in there on Chase St. as well as others by there and tested and worked in that area for many years. For a spot so inconspicuous, it was very common to see vehicles pull up on a consistent basis through the years to fill up jugs and containers. Although I was right by it hundreds of times, I never tried it. Lol
I’d like to offer a bit of history concerning the Chase St. Well. It was dug by Sessinal Caesar Graham, my grandfather, in 1943 upon his arrival to the Small Farm/Black Oak area on the west side of Gary. The spring was dug to provide clean water to the residents of the Small Farm within Gary. Small Farmians would walk or drive to the spring daily or weekly to get spring water for their families. I am home at least once a month to visit the well, ensure its functionality, and to fill my personal water bottle to remind myself of where I come from.
Thank you for sharing this history Chalton! I would love to talk more with you about your grandfather, this history is so important to keep alive!
Thank you for your research, Your grandfather was a powerful man. He loved his family and they loved him.
Thank you for your research, Your grandfather was a powerful man. He loved his family and they loved him.
Daddy your children miss you.
Beautiful!
Thank you for that history on the well on chase street. It’s been a mystery who dug that for many years. I am glad to know who built it. This is May 2023 and that well is now a showpiece, beautiful with paving stones and seating. The only remaining mystery I have is why does it keep running? Most wells aren’t like that. Did your grandfather know he was building an artisan well, that would keep running, or did he plan on just building a well?
Thank you for sharing this history of the well. Your grandfather was a special man. I wonder how safe the spring water is today considering all the industries that have been in the region. Do you or anyone else know if it鈥檚 safe to drink or not.
Used to love this water in 80sand90s,I hope it is still as good, I’m in.florida now,but tell people about it back in Gary, hope I’m at steering people wrong.
It’s absolutely wonderful and cold!!!! I’ve been consistently drinking it for almost 2 months!!! I thank God for-Living water it’s great!! Today is 8/22/23. 馃槈I’m Enjoying the Benefits! The new sitting area is therapeutic as well馃槝馃檶馃挭馃コ
I remember those old days it is spring water. Menards hardware store sells the same fucky stuff. But spring water is good for your health. But I’d be afraid to drink it off Chase.
Hope to see you all in Aug. Small Farm Rejoining. Is it still on the 8th or the 10th?
Hi, I am a volunteer with the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore/National Park Service, and I am trying to find more information on this well, its history, and anything on its source. I grew up in Gary and returned as an adult after college and had NEVER heard of this up until a few months ago. Finally went to check it out for myself and was abhorred by the debris littering the area. I would like to determine what, if any, benefits or detriments the water possesses: did Sandy Jo and other atrocious acts against the local environment truly contaminate this well or not, and is it safe to drink now? AND I would like to find some way of organize an effort on the part of local residents to maintain the area. Even if’s not drinkable for humans, it is still a viable watershed and natural resource for a still recovering environmental area, and doesn’t mean it can’t be made drinkable in the future – IF we start caring about the location now. So please, anyone who has any info, anecdotal or documented, on this well, I would LOVE to hear it. Thanks!
Hello Arianne, Thank you for reaching out and above all for caring about this space. A lot of people do care about it, but resources to clean it up are scarce. I would really love to talk with you by phone if you would like to pool information/ideas. You can email me from the website address –
I grew up drinking water from this well our family would drive down very often & fill containers 2 bring home I have nothing personal & say about the condition of the well as it is now but as a man going on 59 years old this has been a long standing & monumental structure in the city of my birth & the great I me KEY would be willing 2 work with you on this project
Hello Kenneth –
So sorry that it has taken this long to get back with you! For some reason, my website stopped notifying me that I had comments! I hope you were able to connect with Arianne about this, but if not, I would be happy to pass your info on to her. Also, I will be back in your area in Dec/January and would love to talk with you about the artesian well and your experience with it. All the best!
This is awesome
I grew up drinking that water from that spring on 35th & Chase street in Gary Indiana it has a very rich history people of all race from Calumet Township drank the water it was the only source of fresh water we had we lived in unincorporated Lake county Indiana on the outskirts of Gary.
Here are a few stories from my Facebook page about the Well / Spring.
off Chase St, right?
14 hrs 路 Unlike 路 2
Silas G Sconiers Yep thats it !
14 hrs 路 Like 路 1
Willie Vazquez Why can’t someone tidy up the place? Hint or suggestion. Those that go there and…..
14 hrs 路 Unlike 路 1
Small Farms Reunion
Hi, Just a note to let you know we’re having a family reunion Families are forever Hope to see you there once again!
CALUMETHIGHSCHOOLGARY.NING.COM
14 hrs 路 Like 路 Remove Preview
Lori Ann McCabe Roy 路 Friends with Frank Peter Ross
Is that the one behind the Village ??
I remember going to get water there
14 hrs 路 Unlike 路 2
Silas G Sconiers Yes it is !
14 hrs 路 Like 路 1
Rick Fite Thanks Gus for keeping the memories of Cal Township Gary alive
14 hrs 路 Like
Stanley Davis The water use to taste good but i got sum before i left Gary & it had a smell that was not good at all.
14 hrs 路 Unlike 路 1
Silas G Sconiers I will not drink it anymore. The city of Gary poisoned the water table with lake Sandy Jo it smells like rotten eggs the health department says its okay . BS
14 hrs 路 Like
Stanley Davis I hated that because it helped so many people.
14 hrs 路 Unlike 路 1
Lake Sandy Jo | Region 5 Cleanup Sites | US EPA
Lake Sandy Jo is a 50-acre landfill located in a residential…
EPA.GOV
14 hrs 路 Like 路 Remove Preview
Ric Cortez Classic. Thank you God
14 hrs 路 Unlike 路 1
Rick Fite I remember going there in High School to get pure water to raise platyhelmintheses (flatworms) for biology class
14 hrs 路 Unlike 路 1
Lori Ann McCabe Roy 路 Friends with Frank Peter Ross
Oh so sad
It was so good .. Early 80’s our neighborhood had water problem , and we used if for drinking for quite some time
14 hrs 路 Unlike 路 1
Silas G Sconiers We grew up drinking the water and it was pure and clean until the dumping started at Lake Sandy Joe who was owned by Mr Angle & his brother !
14 hrs 路 Like
Joe Leavy Don’t know if drinking this water is safe anymore.
13 hrs 路 Unlike 路 1
Paula Sanchez It was soo good!!
13 hrs 路 Unlike 路 2
Lake Sandy Jo | Region 5 Cleanup Sites | US EPA
Lake Sandy Jo is a 50-acre landfill located in a residential…
EPA.GOV
13 hrs 路 Like 路 Remove Preview
Paula Sanchez
13 hrs 路 Unlike 路 1
Silas G Sconiers The water has a bad smell the board of health says they test it every year and their is nothing wrong with it.
31 mins 路 Edited 路 Like
Joe Leavy We blame people for dumping also around that water.
13 hrs 路 Unlike 路 1
Silas G Sconiers http://www.epa.gov/…/lakesandyjo/pdf/lsj-esd-2008.pdf
13 hrs 路 Like
Street Princeopal I’m Gary born an raised and I couldn’t stand that nasty ass tasting water from that fuc up rusty ass pipe” never!!! When we was little the OK people used ta stock that sht”,,,_I wouldn’t drink it then and still won’t now” p.s yall AND THE WATER IN THESE APT BUILDINGS and cribs IN THE HOOD ain’t to cool either’…fact
12 hrs 路 Like
Anthony Kelly It always did smell like eggs. But it was good.
12 hrs 路 Edited 路 Like 路 2
Brenda Milligan Its been over 50 years that spring has been running
10 hrs 路 Unlike 路 2
Brenda Milligan Back in the day , yes my family was one to go get 10 to 15 jugs and it was fine. But I tried it abt 2 years ago and the taste and smell was like spoiled eggs DOUBLE YUCK!!!! LOL but for many families we never was THIRSTY. GOD WAS AND IS STILL GOOD. I SOMETIMES SEE CARS TODAY WITH JUGS AT THAT SIGHT!#
10 hrs 路 Unlike 路 5
Jerry Baldwin 路 Friends with Ric Cortez and 10 others
I remembrr people lined up there back in the 50s to get the water. There used to be one on old route 6 east of gary.
6 hrs 路 Unlike 路 2
Will Goosby I remember that from back in the day. You would see people filling up empty milk containers.
6 hrs 路 Like
Chalton Ellis I went two days ago to get some. My youngest son and me still go get water from the spring. Never forget were you come from.
6 hrs 路 Like 路 9
Angela Hargro Street Princeopal… Just boil the water… Geez…
5 hrs 路 Like
Shirley Harper so many years hauling water…..will never forget those days
4 hrs 路 Unlike 路 3
Chalton Ellis Thanks Angela street talking a lot of s–t but from drinking tat water the guys from the small fram was some of the baddest dudes walk the streets of Gary.
4 hrs 路 Unlike 路 4
Christopher Spida Wheatley Sr. Yeah back in the day we use to go down there every weekend to get water for everybody on the small farm.
4 hrs 路 Unlike 路 2
Jarrett Bridgeman The water is fine…The water does not come from the local well deposits in our area. That water is one five springs in the state. The water, it is believed flows from a Canadian underground reservoir, and has done so for at least 100 years. Taste it, and you will certainly know the difference. Tastes great!
3 hrs 路 Unlike 路 8
Chris Nunn Boiled many many gallons of water from that joint!!!!
3 hrs 路 Like
Sandra Jackson Lipscomb
3 hrs 路 Like
Sandra Jackson Lipscomb Amazing she still pumping
3 hrs 路 Like
Jackie Walker i didnt know it still was flowing we use to drink it when i was little
2 hrs 路 Unlike 路 1
Chalton Ellis Thanks brother Jarrett I know it goes back over 100 yrs. Give Mr. Weldon and Mr . Coopwood credit for the solid foundation that’s there today. There were whites who sabotage that structure many times to keep the black people from having drinking water. By the way it’s good to hear from you brother.
2 hrs 路 Unlike 路 3
Christopher Spida Wheatley Sr. I grew up on that water.
1 hr 路 Unlike 路 2
Love this thread thank you for sharing it – it gives some good history on it – I also heard about the one on highway six, but its gone now –
back in the fifties there was a similar water source on Calhoun near 35 at the s curve. i remember going there to get water as a child with my dad. i heard it dried up due to an earthquake.
Interesting! There used to be several more roadside springs back in the day – I am glad you shared this memory with us!
I don’t know much about the well Kay, and my grandfather has dementia and probably doesn’t remember even taking me. What I remember him saying was that the well has run for ever and ever- as long as he remembers and he’s 82! He said colored and poor white folks used to come with jugs to get water from the well.
My grandfather took me to this well last summer. He said he remembers all sorts of people coming to the well to get water. Not too many dare do that now…
Hello Raymond, are you still living in the area? I would love to get some more history on this well, I believe the paper did a story on it quite awhile ago – Kay
I remember coming to this one on Chase street in gary with my grandmother when i was a little girl in the late 70’s and early 80’s. Of course the aea was much cleaner than this picture, but it had the best tasting water and it was always ice cold! Memories! We never drank the tap water at home. She always made the trip every couple days with her steralized milk jugs or other containers and got water for the family.
Thank you for your comment — the well on Chase St. is still in use, from what I understand, it has been running before there was a Gary! Isn’t that amazing –
Don鈥檛 know anything about the origin. I did work for Norfolk Southern for almost 40 years starting in the mid 80鈥檚 and put the crossing protection in there on Chase St. as well as others by there and tested and worked in that area for many years. For a spot so inconspicuous, it was very common to see vehicles pull up on a consistent basis through the years to fill up jugs and containers. Although I was right by it hundreds of times, I never tried it. Lol
Thank you for you comment!
I’d like to offer a bit of history concerning the Chase St. Well. It was dug by Sessinal Caesar Graham, my grandfather, in 1943 upon his arrival to the Small Farm/Black Oak area on the west side of Gary. The spring was dug to provide clean water to the residents of the Small Farm within Gary. Small Farmians would walk or drive to the spring daily or weekly to get spring water for their families. I am home at least once a month to visit the well, ensure its functionality, and to fill my personal water bottle to remind myself of where I come from.
Chalton D . Graham and Family
Thank you for sharing this history Chalton! I would love to talk more with you about your grandfather, this history is so important to keep alive!
Thank you for your research, Your grandfather was a powerful man. He loved his family and they loved him.
Thank you for your research, Your grandfather was a powerful man. He loved his family and they loved him.
Daddy your children miss you.
Beautiful!
Thank you for that history on the well on chase street. It’s been a mystery who dug that for many years. I am glad to know who built it. This is May 2023 and that well is now a showpiece, beautiful with paving stones and seating. The only remaining mystery I have is why does it keep running? Most wells aren’t like that. Did your grandfather know he was building an artisan well, that would keep running, or did he plan on just building a well?
Thank you for sharing this history of the well. Your grandfather was a special man. I wonder how safe the spring water is today considering all the industries that have been in the region. Do you or anyone else know if it鈥檚 safe to drink or not.
Used to love this water in 80sand90s,I hope it is still as good, I’m in.florida now,but tell people about it back in Gary, hope I’m at steering people wrong.
It’s absolutely wonderful and cold!!!! I’ve been consistently drinking it for almost 2 months!!! I thank God for-Living water it’s great!! Today is 8/22/23. 馃槈I’m Enjoying the Benefits! The new sitting area is therapeutic as well馃槝馃檶馃挭馃コ
I remember those old days it is spring water. Menards hardware store sells the same fucky stuff. But spring water is good for your health. But I’d be afraid to drink it off Chase.
Hope to see you all in Aug. Small Farm Rejoining. Is it still on the 8th or the 10th?
Hi, I am a volunteer with the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore/National Park Service, and I am trying to find more information on this well, its history, and anything on its source. I grew up in Gary and returned as an adult after college and had NEVER heard of this up until a few months ago. Finally went to check it out for myself and was abhorred by the debris littering the area. I would like to determine what, if any, benefits or detriments the water possesses: did Sandy Jo and other atrocious acts against the local environment truly contaminate this well or not, and is it safe to drink now? AND I would like to find some way of organize an effort on the part of local residents to maintain the area. Even if’s not drinkable for humans, it is still a viable watershed and natural resource for a still recovering environmental area, and doesn’t mean it can’t be made drinkable in the future – IF we start caring about the location now. So please, anyone who has any info, anecdotal or documented, on this well, I would LOVE to hear it. Thanks!
Hello Arianne, Thank you for reaching out and above all for caring about this space. A lot of people do care about it, but resources to clean it up are scarce. I would really love to talk with you by phone if you would like to pool information/ideas. You can email me from the website address –
I grew up drinking water from this well our family would drive down very often & fill containers 2 bring home I have nothing personal & say about the condition of the well as it is now but as a man going on 59 years old this has been a long standing & monumental structure in the city of my birth & the great I me KEY would be willing 2 work with you on this project
Hello Kenneth –
So sorry that it has taken this long to get back with you! For some reason, my website stopped notifying me that I had comments! I hope you were able to connect with Arianne about this, but if not, I would be happy to pass your info on to her. Also, I will be back in your area in Dec/January and would love to talk with you about the artesian well and your experience with it. All the best!
This is awesome
I grew up drinking that water from that spring on 35th & Chase street in Gary Indiana it has a very rich history people of all race from Calumet Township drank the water it was the only source of fresh water we had we lived in unincorporated Lake county Indiana on the outskirts of Gary.
Here are a few stories from my Facebook page about the Well / Spring.
off Chase St, right?
14 hrs 路 Unlike 路 2
Silas G Sconiers Yep thats it !
14 hrs 路 Like 路 1
Willie Vazquez Why can’t someone tidy up the place? Hint or suggestion. Those that go there and…..
14 hrs 路 Unlike 路 1
Silas G Sconiers http://calumethighschoolgary.ning.com/
Small Farms Reunion
Hi, Just a note to let you know we’re having a family reunion Families are forever Hope to see you there once again!
CALUMETHIGHSCHOOLGARY.NING.COM
14 hrs 路 Like 路 Remove Preview
Lori Ann McCabe Roy 路 Friends with Frank Peter Ross
Is that the one behind the Village ??
I remember going to get water there
14 hrs 路 Unlike 路 2
Silas G Sconiers Yes it is !
14 hrs 路 Like 路 1
Rick Fite Thanks Gus for keeping the memories of Cal Township Gary alive
14 hrs 路 Like
Stanley Davis The water use to taste good but i got sum before i left Gary & it had a smell that was not good at all.
14 hrs 路 Unlike 路 1
Silas G Sconiers I will not drink it anymore. The city of Gary poisoned the water table with lake Sandy Jo it smells like rotten eggs the health department says its okay . BS
14 hrs 路 Like
Stanley Davis I hated that because it helped so many people.
14 hrs 路 Unlike 路 1
Silas G Sconiers http://www.epa.gov/region5/cleanup/lakesandyjo/index.html
Lake Sandy Jo | Region 5 Cleanup Sites | US EPA
Lake Sandy Jo is a 50-acre landfill located in a residential…
EPA.GOV
14 hrs 路 Like 路 Remove Preview
Ric Cortez Classic. Thank you God
14 hrs 路 Unlike 路 1
Rick Fite I remember going there in High School to get pure water to raise platyhelmintheses (flatworms) for biology class
14 hrs 路 Unlike 路 1
Lori Ann McCabe Roy 路 Friends with Frank Peter Ross
Oh so sad
It was so good .. Early 80’s our neighborhood had water problem , and we used if for drinking for quite some time
14 hrs 路 Unlike 路 1
Silas G Sconiers We grew up drinking the water and it was pure and clean until the dumping started at Lake Sandy Joe who was owned by Mr Angle & his brother !
14 hrs 路 Like
Joe Leavy Don’t know if drinking this water is safe anymore.
13 hrs 路 Unlike 路 1
Paula Sanchez It was soo good!!
13 hrs 路 Unlike 路 2
Silas G Sconiers Mr Angle our teacher & his brother owned Lake Sandy Jo they poisoned the water table http://www.epa.gov/region5/cleanup/lakesandyjo/index.html
Lake Sandy Jo | Region 5 Cleanup Sites | US EPA
Lake Sandy Jo is a 50-acre landfill located in a residential…
EPA.GOV
13 hrs 路 Like 路 Remove Preview
Paula Sanchez
13 hrs 路 Unlike 路 1
Silas G Sconiers The water has a bad smell the board of health says they test it every year and their is nothing wrong with it.
31 mins 路 Edited 路 Like
Joe Leavy We blame people for dumping also around that water.
13 hrs 路 Unlike 路 1
Silas G Sconiers http://www.epa.gov/…/lakesandyjo/pdf/lsj-esd-2008.pdf
13 hrs 路 Like
Silas G Sconiers http://www.epa.gov/super…/sites/rods/fulltext/r0586043.pdf
13 hrs 路 Like
Rick Fite Little Cal ain’t pristine, anymore. Would be an admirable goal.
13 hrs 路 Unlike 路 1
Silas G Sconiers http://www.epa.gov/supe…/sites/fiveyear/f2011050004072.pdf
13 hrs 路 Like 路 1
Silas G Sconiers http://www.epa.gov/…/revie…/indiana/lake_sandy_jo_in.pdf
13 hrs 路 Like
Silas G Sconiers http://www.epa.gov/superfund/sites/fiveyear/f01-05013.pdf
13 hrs 路 Like
Karen Carnahan Wow.
13 hrs 路 Unlike 路 1
Street Princeopal I’m Gary born an raised and I couldn’t stand that nasty ass tasting water from that fuc up rusty ass pipe” never!!! When we was little the OK people used ta stock that sht”,,,_I wouldn’t drink it then and still won’t now” p.s yall AND THE WATER IN THESE APT BUILDINGS and cribs IN THE HOOD ain’t to cool either’…fact
12 hrs 路 Like
Anthony Kelly It always did smell like eggs. But it was good.
12 hrs 路 Edited 路 Like 路 2
Brenda Milligan Its been over 50 years that spring has been running
10 hrs 路 Unlike 路 2
Brenda Milligan Back in the day , yes my family was one to go get 10 to 15 jugs and it was fine. But I tried it abt 2 years ago and the taste and smell was like spoiled eggs DOUBLE YUCK!!!! LOL but for many families we never was THIRSTY. GOD WAS AND IS STILL GOOD. I SOMETIMES SEE CARS TODAY WITH JUGS AT THAT SIGHT!#
10 hrs 路 Unlike 路 5
Jerry Baldwin 路 Friends with Ric Cortez and 10 others
I remembrr people lined up there back in the 50s to get the water. There used to be one on old route 6 east of gary.
6 hrs 路 Unlike 路 2
Will Goosby I remember that from back in the day. You would see people filling up empty milk containers.
6 hrs 路 Like
Chalton Ellis I went two days ago to get some. My youngest son and me still go get water from the spring. Never forget were you come from.
6 hrs 路 Like 路 9
Angela Hargro Amen Chalton Ellis…
5 hrs 路 Like 路 1
Angela Hargro Street Princeopal… Just boil the water… Geez…
5 hrs 路 Like
Shirley Harper so many years hauling water…..will never forget those days
4 hrs 路 Unlike 路 3
Chalton Ellis Thanks Angela street talking a lot of s–t but from drinking tat water the guys from the small fram was some of the baddest dudes walk the streets of Gary.
4 hrs 路 Unlike 路 4
Christopher Spida Wheatley Sr. Yeah back in the day we use to go down there every weekend to get water for everybody on the small farm.
4 hrs 路 Unlike 路 2
Jarrett Bridgeman The water is fine…The water does not come from the local well deposits in our area. That water is one five springs in the state. The water, it is believed flows from a Canadian underground reservoir, and has done so for at least 100 years. Taste it, and you will certainly know the difference. Tastes great!
3 hrs 路 Unlike 路 8
Chris Nunn Boiled many many gallons of water from that joint!!!!
3 hrs 路 Like
Sandra Jackson Lipscomb
3 hrs 路 Like
Sandra Jackson Lipscomb Amazing she still pumping
3 hrs 路 Like
Jackie Walker i didnt know it still was flowing we use to drink it when i was little
2 hrs 路 Unlike 路 1
Chalton Ellis Thanks brother Jarrett I know it goes back over 100 yrs. Give Mr. Weldon and Mr . Coopwood credit for the solid foundation that’s there today. There were whites who sabotage that structure many times to keep the black people from having drinking water. By the way it’s good to hear from you brother.
2 hrs 路 Unlike 路 3
Christopher Spida Wheatley Sr. I grew up on that water.
1 hr 路 Unlike 路 2
Silas G Sconiers http://wellstories.com/category/lake/
Lake County IN | Well Stories
WELLSTORIES.COM
41 mins 路 Like 路 Remove Preview
Silas G Sconiers Yes it is.
35 mins 路 Like
Silas G Sconiers The water is nasty tasting today it did not taste that way in the 60s when I was drinking it !
16 mins 路 Like 路 1
https://www.facebook.com/silas.sconiers
Love this thread thank you for sharing it – it gives some good history on it – I also heard about the one on highway six, but its gone now –
back in the fifties there was a similar water source on Calhoun near 35 at the s curve. i remember going there to get water as a child with my dad. i heard it dried up due to an earthquake.
Interesting! There used to be several more roadside springs back in the day – I am glad you shared this memory with us!
I don’t know much about the well Kay, and my grandfather has dementia and probably doesn’t remember even taking me. What I remember him saying was that the well has run for ever and ever- as long as he remembers and he’s 82! He said colored and poor white folks used to come with jugs to get water from the well.
My grandfather took me to this well last summer. He said he remembers all sorts of people coming to the well to get water. Not too many dare do that now…
Hello Raymond, are you still living in the area? I would love to get some more history on this well, I believe the paper did a story on it quite awhile ago – Kay
I remember coming to this one on Chase street in gary with my grandmother when i was a little girl in the late 70’s and early 80’s. Of course the aea was much cleaner than this picture, but it had the best tasting water and it was always ice cold! Memories! We never drank the tap water at home. She always made the trip every couple days with her steralized milk jugs or other containers and got water for the family.
Thank you for your comment — the well on Chase St. is still in use, from what I understand, it has been running before there was a Gary! Isn’t that amazing –