Rediscovered a week ago, a 200-year-old well in Guthrie boasting unique ties to Trail of Tears history has been refitted and made ready.
Located next to the historic Stagecoach Inn and owned by architect Mark Humphreys and his wife, Emily, his contractors — Terry Contreras and Alpha Custom Works out of Clarksville — quickly set to work on its restoration following its unearthing.
More than 40 feet deep with five feet of cool, crisp, clear water and a 24-inch opening near the surface, Contreras said he and his team found this well — once blessed by Cherokee Chief White Path and his tribe on their way to Oklahoma — after Humphreys asked him to pull up a dead tree on the property and excavate an old replica well.
Chief White Path died in 1838, and is buried in nearby Hopkinsville.
Humphreys and Contreras both believed the storied well was somewhere on the property. It was just a matter of actually finding it.
Using well-stone found in the tree’s roots, Contreras said further clearing and preparing of the area led to the archaeological find — and Humphreys asked for its immediate restoration.
Nearly 30 feet of original stacked stone were used in its reconstruction, with not one, but two cement and concrete footers poured for safety and support to the area.
Are the waters drinkable? Contreras isn’t sure; tests haven’t been run on its safety. But again, it’s cool and cold, and a working bucket and pulley have been installed to make it a fully-functioning well.
Contreras said he and his staff have enjoyed some of the older restoration projects they’ve recently been on, and this well might top the list.
For more information about Alpha Custom Works, visit alpha-handyman-and-maintenance.business.site.
RELATED: https://www.wkdzradio.com/2021/08/20/original-trail-of-tears-well-discovered-at-guthries-stagecoach-inn/news-edge/
