About this property
The Big Well is a large historic water well in Greensburg, Kansas, United States. Visitors enter the well for a fee, descending an illuminated stairway to the bottom of the well. It began construction in 1887 at a cost of $45,000 to provide water for the Santa Fe and Rock Island railroads and finished construction in 1888. It served as the municipal water supply until 1932. It was designated a National Museum in 1972; in 1973 it was awarded an American Water Landmark by the American Water Works Association. Under the name of "Greensburg Well", it has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) since 1972. In 2008, the well was named one of the 8 Wonders of Kansas. The Big Well's construction in 1887 utilized many engineering techniques from the late 19th century. According to The Kansas Sampler Foundation, crews of 12-15 men utilized pickaxes, shovels, ropes, pulleys, and barrels. The casing of the well was made from stones brought from the Medicine River roughly twelve miles south of Greensburg that were brought over via wagons. Slatted wagons were used to haul dirt away from the well. Whenever a low spot was reached in the wagon, the slats were opened, allowing level ground to be created around the area. As the well's construction continued, a wide shaft was cribbed and braced every twelve feet with two by twelve inch planks for safety reasons in concern of the workers. Utilizing these braces, soil was hoisted up in barrels to continue the digging. After the stones were fitted around them, the braces were sawed off. When the well had reached roughly 109 feet in depth, perforated pipe was driven horizontally into gravel containing water, which aided in bringing water into the basin. The well had a visitor center detailing the history of the well's construction. On May 4, 2007, a tornado hit Greensburg, destroying the center. The well reopened on May 26, 2012. The new visitor center, also known as the Big Well Museum, contains a circular timeline of the city of Greensburg in three stages, including the beginnings of Greensburg, the Tornadic event, and the Eco-Friendly Rebuilding of Greensburg. The Big Well Museum contains information on the formation of tornadoes and explains the meteorological phenomenon that took place to spawn such an event. There are interactive pull-outs in the walls, as well as televisions, cards, and infographics depicting historical events, interviews, tragedies, model survival kits, and other tornado related items. Around the museum are elements of storm debris, including stop signs, street signs, clocks, and tornado sirens, including the remains of Greensburg's Federal Signal Thunderbolt siren destroyed by the tornado. A Sentry 10v was installed during the rebuilding to replace it.
Location
Categories
Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).
Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Everything a full report reveals about Greensburg Well
This page lists Greensburg Well. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:
Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.
Questions about this property
When was Greensburg Well listed on the National Register?
Greensburg Well was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on February 23, 1972.
What type of historic resource is Greensburg Well?
Greensburg Well is classified as a structure in the National Register of Historic Places.
What is the period of significance for Greensburg Well?
The period of significance for Greensburg Well is recorded as the industrial era.
Can I research the history near Greensburg Well?
Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Greensburg Well will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.
More in Kiowa County
Historic places, battles, and census history across Kiowa County.
Explore KiowaCounty ›Research the history near this site
An Aubrey US report for an address near Greensburg Well will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.