Business & Tech
Ancient Pre-1900s Dry Wells Found in Keystone Parking Lot in Dedham
The dry wells were likely used to store water for when a fire happened and residents would form an assembly line passing buckets of water to the blaze.
While the construction teams working on the Dedham Square Improvement Project haven't literally struck oil or gold, they did discover something ancient and not on any maps of the town.
"We did come across ancient dry wells and we don't have a record of them," Jason Mammone, project manager, told Dedham Patch. "They were probably used by the fire department. There would be areas where they got water and formed an assembly line to bring water to a fire."
Mammone said the dry wells were stone structures deep into the ground in the Keystone Parking Lot and were about 12 feet wide and 20 feet deep. As for photos, some of the construction workers took some, but it was very dark and deep in the ground, said Mammone.
"We had to fill it in," said Mammone of the parking lot.
As for when the dry wells could be from, Mammome said, "We have plans to the early 1900s and we have no information on the dry wells in the Square. These things are before any plans (for the town of Dedham)."
Mammone added, "The project is going well. We're on schedule, on time, and on budget."
Photos courtesy dedhamsquareproject.com
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