The Springhouse

The Springhouse. . Prior to the days of refrigeration springhouses served a dual purpose. They were a source of fresh cool water as well as a place to keep food cool. They were usually small one-room buildings and were frequently built over a spring or small stream. The ones built over springs were considered best, as the water running in from the earth or from small crevices in rocks was much colder than that of small open streams. The cool water kept the interior of the springhouse cool. , Crocks, jars and other types of containers were used to store milk, butter, eggs, and occasionally tea and lemonade in the springhouse. Sometimes the container was partially submerged in the water to take advantage of the cool temperature. At times shelves were built onto the inner walls of the springhouse above the water level for the storage of potatoes, apples, onions, and other produce. , The sulphur spring at this site did not have a springhouse, but was used by the community as a source of water for many years. The prominence of springhouses throughout the area prior to the arrival of electricity and then refrigerators in the 1930s and 1940s prompted the construction of the one here, in order to preserve a bit of the rural history of the area.