Located in Sumter County, the town of Livingston—home of the University of West Alabama—boasts a rich history, and several of its featured landmarks are a testament to that fact.

One of those historic places is Livingston’s Bored Well, located on Courthouse Square at downtown Livingston. Flagged by a Historic Marker, the Bored Well dates back to 1854 when its construction began.

Historians say that an old blind mule pulled an auger around day after day to create the artesian well, which was finished in 1857. The well was originally covered by a wooden Chinese pagoda, which was replaced by a brick structure in 1924.

Citizens initially complained that the water tasted salty; however, eventually the townspeople regarded the water’s saltiness as providing medicinal benefits. Soon, word spread about the well and its “mineral water,” and people came to Livingston solely to visit the well in hopes of curing their ailments.

Over the years the well evolved. A hand pump was added in 1904, and an electric pump was installed in 1928.

In 1999, the old brick structure collapsed while it was being repaired, and in 2005, the existing pavilion covering the well was constructed.

Want to learn more about UWA’s hometown of Livingston and the surrounding area? Continue to follow the UWA Online blog for more interesting bits of culture and history!

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