Stratford Area Historical Society preservation reflections
May is Historic Preservation Month in Wisconsin. It is a time for celebrating the preservation of historic places that help us understand our past.
The Stratford Area Historical Society, Inc. (SAHS) is a not-for-profit organization, that started meeting in 1991. The Purpose of SAHS is the sharing of knowledge about the Stratford area through the preservation of our history. Over the years SAHS has completed several preservation projects. Articles that highlight SAHS preservation projects will be available this month.
Historic wellhouse
The first hand-dug well that provided water for Stratford residents is located on Larch Street in Stratford. In 1920 the Village of Stratford Waterworks realized the need for a well to supply residents with ample water. W.G. Kirchoffer, a sanitary engineer from Madison, Wisconsin was hired in 1920 to develop the plans. Kirchoffer’s design featured a structure with a round roof and walls. In addition to being called the pumphouse, there are references in documents to the wellhouse as the roundhouse.
The plans called for a hand-dug reservoir 24’ deep and 22’ in diameter. A crew of men dug the well in 1920. A member of the 1920 crew was Carl Spindler. The bottom of the 22’ excavation was blue rock that had to be blasted.
The pump drew water that was stored in Stratford’s first water tower, located on State Highway 153, formerly Fir Street. By 1985, due to hard water and limited yield, it was reported that the wellhouse was no longer being used and as a result it was disconnected from the system several years later. Over the years the wellhouse was a water source for the filling of the fire department tanker.
Preservation continues
The well on Larch Street was properly abandoned in June 1995. The Stratford Water and Electric Commission at that time donated the wellhouse structure to SAHS. The wellhouse is one of the past and current restoration projects of SAHS.
In 1995, thanks to the funds raised by SAHS and Stratford area residents Mike McMeeken and Ron Bean, who donated their time and skills to the restoration project, the wellhouse stands today as an important artifact of Stratford’s public works past. A summer windstorm in 1998 damaged the wellhouse roof. A local contractor, Bernie Wenzel, completed the restoration work for SAHS.
Twenty-five years have passed since the last significant preservation/restoration work on the wellhouse. Today the wellhouse is once again in need of restoration. The roof, soffit, facia, brick, and windows need repair to bring the historic, round, wellhouse back to its original condition.
SAHS created a SAHS Building and Archive Preservation GoFundMe page for donations in support of the restoration. SAHS appreciates your support of the wellhouse restoration project.
https://www.gofundme. com/f/sahs-buildingand- archive-preservation.
Contact SAHS for information on the restoration project or to join the SAHS.
