East-Central Indiana is full of old gas wells. Over time, a few of them turned into artesian wells that flow with water. I’ve been to forty-seven of them, and know of even more in the Yorktown area! Unfortunately, one I’ve never seen might be in trouble: an enormous new apartment complex may threaten its existence. 

The very same day I got skunked at the pump south of Sulphur Springs, I offered to ride to Columbia City with my mom to buy a picnic basket. On the way back, construction forced us onto a detour that wound through Warren- a town that, fittingly enough for my purposes, boasts a Flowing Well Road. Unlike my last visit, this time we veered right off State Road 5. A few minutes later, there it was: artesian well number forty-seven burbling away.

Not long ago, a reader asked if I’d ever been out to see the flowing well near Sulphur Springs in rural Henry County. To my surprise, not only had I never been- I’d never even heard of it! The message was all the excuse I needed for a quick trip down south. Wondering if I’d see the sulphur spring of Sulphur Springs, I set out to find it for myself the very next weekend. Unfortunately, I stumbled onto something I hadn’t expected.

The flowing well at Harlan Cemetery is a relatively new discovery for me. I didn’t stumble across it until 2023! I was passing through Charlottesville late last month when I suddenly remembered it and couldn’t resist making a quick detour. Unlike some wells that sputter or slow with time, this one still gushes steadily from its sharp-angled pipe. As much as I love the well itself, I was just as eager to wander the quiet graveyard it’s named for. 

My mom and I were zipping through southern Wayne County when a sign caught our eye for Potter Shop Road. The name was too good to pass up, so we followed it straight into the tiny community of Abington, a place neither of us had ever explored. Just as Mom was about to veer toward Centerville Road, something odd came into view: a weathered stone trough with a sign that read “Non Portable Water.” It looked like an artesian well to me! Mom cranked the wheel into a nearby parking spot without hesitation. 

I can’t remember exactly how I first heard about the flowing well that feeds into Village Brook along the Madison–Hancock County line. Nevertheless, I tracked it down on April 4, 2020, and it’s stuck with me ever since. I couldn’t resist a return visit when I happened to be in the area again this past weekend, and I’m happy to report it’s still flowing cold and strong.

Some flowing wells sit right out in the open, bubbling away on public easements and practically begging to be noticed. Others keep to themselves, tucked deep off the road and known to a lucky few. One of those hidden gems lies along the banks of Brandywine Creek in rural Hancock County. I never would’ve found it if not for Fred Schrope.

Nothing drives me nuts more than knowing about a flowing well I haven’t seen in person yet. Recently, I learned that four might be hiding within a two-and-a-half-mile radius of my house! I haven’t swung by to find them yet, but rest assured: I will. River deep or mountain high, I’m coming for them! I hope.

I’ve always been drawn to forgotten corners- places that once bustled with life but now linger quietly in the background. On the surface, Matter Park in Marion, Indiana, doesn’t seem to qualify. It’s a vibrant, well-maintained space, full of playgrounds, picnic areas, tennis courts, and walking trails. Still a piece of history most visitors overlook is tucked away in a quieter section of the park: a springhouse built around what was once a celebrated artesian well.