Showing posts with label spring water. Show all posts
Showing posts with label spring water. Show all posts

Tuesday, March 1, 2011

Scarritt Spring - Lost and Found

Above, what Scarritt Spring looked like in the early part of the last century. Below, what it looks like now. This site is located directly below Cliff Drive just east of the DiCapo Fountain (the waterfall). It commemorated the site of the spring (still flowing) which the Scarritt family used for water and to keep things cool. As late as the 1950s you could still go down there and get watercress for salads. But, when the Cliff Drive Spring above was closed due to contaminated water, so was this one below.
The walls shown in the postcard view are still there and in remarkably good shape. At some point it would be fun to clear away some of the debris and brush to see if any of the walking paths still exist. There is the desire to bring this back to its 20th Century condition... but it will take some time.

The original spigot (left in the image) is still there with ample water coming forth. The spring had a mind of its own though and opened a new channel on the right.
I wouldn't be surprised if some of the original stonework that made up the basin is still in place under the dirt and debris.

Above, closeup of the spigot and, below, much of the original granite is still in place lining the channel.


The pieces below "crawled" about 50 yards to the east.... probably a failed attempt at "recycling".
I'll keep you posted on any efforts toward restoration.