The Ester Springs

Ester Addie Williams Blagmon
1894 - 1963
"The water is excellent and taste good"

    Born on this property in 1891, Ester Williams had a love for this land.  She was the caretaker for this part of the property until her death in 1963.  At which time she passed that responsibility on to her youngest son.  "The water is excellent and taste good" was taken from the Will Book in Essex County. This statement take from her last will and testament.  This property was made part of The Farm in 2008 completing the original plot of 1901. 

    The water comes up from the water table in the ground.  It is filtered by the sand and rock.  The water maintains a temperature of 50 - 60 degrees year round.  The springs have cut a valley in the sandy soil.  There a several trees that provide plenty of shade during those hot summer months.  The temperature is normally 10 to 15 degrees cooler in the summer and 5 to 10 degrees warmer in the winter at the springs.  Because the water is coming from within the earth, the spring does not freeze in the winter.  For many years long before the ownership of the property by my family, people drank from these springs.  They watered their livestock, and used it to preserve perishable goods before the ice box or refrigerator was invented. 

    Construction began on the first spring in August of 2008.  The project was simple.  A path was cut through the trees to the spring area.  The path had to be wide enough so that a dump truck and heavy equipment could get to the springs.  Number 57 stone gravel was placed on the road bed.  This provided a base for the equipment to move without getting stuck in the sandy soil.  A hole was dug at the site of the horse pond.  Washed gravel was placed in the hole.  Three 28 inch high and 42 inch (diameter) well curbs were placed in the hole on each other.  Gravel was then place in the remainder of the horse pond.  Sand was then used to fill the remainder of the area.  Water began to fill the well curb.  The water in the curb is about 40 inches deep.  A two inch hole was place in the well curb at the 40 inch level.  This allowed the water to enter the curb from the bottom and exit through the two inch hole.  This means that water will be constantly flowing through the spring.  A two inch pipe ten feet long was attached to the well ring through the hole.  Additional cement was poured on the outside of the well curb to seal the pipe to the well curb.  A lid was placed on the well.  A inch and a quarter hole was placed about 12 inches from the top of the well.  A pipe goes through the well into the water in the well.  The pipe goes down to within 6 inches of the bottom of the well.  A strainer was placed on the pipe.  The other end of this pipe is connected to a hand pump.  A concrete bench is positioned on a brick patio with a walkway to the springs.  Hostas were planted along side of the walkway.  This part of the spring was finished in June of 2009.

    On any given day you can visit the springs.  The area is cool in the summer and warm in the winter.  The water is refreshing on a hot summer day.  The shade of the trees provide protection from the sun.  You can sit on the bench and watch the wildlife come to water in the evenings.  It is just another reason to be on The Farm.