In 1887, the city granted a franchise for a water works system, to cost approximately $45,000, a huge sum of money in those days. The Santa Fe terminated its track at the west Kiowa County line and removed it eight years later. Construction of the well was a masterpiece of pioneer engineering. Hired on a day to day basis for fifty cents to a dollar a day, crews of twelve to fifteen farmers, cowboys, and other local men dug the well. Some of the men lived on location in a camp of tents while working on the well. Other crews quarried and hauled the native stone used for the casing of the well This stone was hauled in wagons from the Medicine River twelve miles south of Greensburg. Dirt from the well was hauled away by the same wagons which had slatted beds. By opening the slats and dumping the dirt in low spots, streets and roads to the quarry were leveled.

The well was dug, cribbed and cased. As the dirt was removed it was cribbed with stone to prevent caving in. Every eight feet it was braced from wall to wall with 2' x 12' planks. When the well was down to water, a ring was built, called a boot, constructed of heavy oak bridge timbers. The timbers were mortised and dovetailed together in such a way that no nails were used.

When the well was completed in 1888, it was 109 feet deep and 32 feet in diameter. It served as the city's water supply until 1932. The well was covered and opened as a tourist attraction in 1939. Since then, over 3,000,000 people have visited the "Big Well."

People have been tossing money and other items into the Big Well since it's beginning. In 1990, the town hired divers to clean the bottom of the well A silver onyx crucifix, shoes, coins and other items were found.

Visitors brave enough to walk the 105 steps to the bottom will be impressed with this century-old feat. The lights in the 15' of water enable one to see all the way to the bottom.

The Big Well viewing canopy was damaged in the tornado that struck Greensburg in the spring of 2007. Much of the town was destroyed. Efforts are underway to repair the canopy and develop a new museum that will include the meteorite and Big Well history. There are many exciting projects in plan for Greensburg. Good things are happening in Greensburg.

The museum now has a small gift shop and visitor reception center where you can purchase souvenir items.

In 2008 the Big Well was voted one of the 8 wonders of Kansas.
A big THANK YOU to the Morford family
for sharing the historic photos
that survived the '07 Tornado.