Many years ago, because of a need for tile, someone dug a deep crater east of West Concord. Years later, a natural spring filled the tile pit with water. When discovered, the children of West Concord used it as a swimming hole. Many were unaware of its natural springs.
While swimming, children could be pulled under by the strong pressure of the spring. When parents heard about these near-fatal accidents, they forbade their children to swim there anymore. Some children thought it was an adventure, though, and didn't heed their parents' warnings. Legend has it that more than one individual died in this tile pit.
Several years later, a farmer covered the natural springs with dirt and barbed wire so that his cows could drink the water in the tile pit. Some day the tile pit might be dredged and again uncover the natural springs. Perhaps some historical artifacts lie under there as well, waiting to be uncovered.
Added note from former West Concord resident:
I used to deliver the St. Paul Pioneer Press morning paper
in WC. One of my
favorite customers, John Swanson, told me about this pit. He told
me when he
was a kid, they used to swim to the bottom of that pit because
there was a
shack there. To prove they made it to the bottom, they would tear
off a part
of the tar-paper roof.
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