When Water Was Carried by Hand from the Square Wells

Mamie Jones wrote that before Shelby had any water system, all household water had to be carried by hand. Much of it came from the public wells on the Court Square, and water was hauled away in buckets, often balanced on shoulder yokes. Families depended entirely on these wells for drinking, cooking, washing, and livestock, and the daily carrying of water was one of the hardest routine chores of town life.

She noted that this system continued until wells on private property became more common and, much later, until a public water supply was developed.

Source: Mamie Jones.