The history of Bay View's Pryor Avenue Iron Well

Caitlin Looby, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Updated ·1 min read

There are many places around Milwaukee where you can take a drink of history, including many brewery tours.

But there is also a non-alcoholic option nestled between Wentworth Avenue and Superior Street in Bay View:

The Pryor Avenue Iron Well, a source of drinking water since 1882.

Originally drilled to provide drinking water and fire protection, it’s the last surviving public well in the city, according to the Historical Preservation Committee. The city named it a historic structure in 1987.

While the well is just a short walk from Lake Michigan, the water actually comes from an aquifer nearly 120 feet underground.

101. Bay View's Pryor Avenue Iron Well is the last surviving public well in Milwaukee. The water comes from an aquifer nearly 120 feet underground.
101. Bay View's Pryor Avenue Iron Well is the last surviving public well in Milwaukee. The water comes from an aquifer nearly 120 feet underground.

The iron-rich water tastes a bit different than city water. The water is clear with a distinct metallic taste. Sometimes there might be a faint smell of sulfur.

Elevated levels of strontium, a natural element found in bedrock, were detected in 2015. But according to the EPA, the levels are only an issue for sensitive populations after drinking the water over the course of a lifetime.

Overall the water is safe to drink, according to Milwaukee Water Works and the Environmental Protection Agency.

In fact, the well was a lifeline for many during the 1993 cryptosporidium outbreak that ravaged the municipal water supply.

So fill a jug or take a sip from the bubbler. Just ignore the penny-like metallic notes.

See the rest of Milwaukee's 100 objects

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: The history of Bay View's iron well