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Spring supplies water for city of Florence

By ROWENA PLETT

Staff writer

The Florence Spring Fling is scheduled to be held April 27 at the city spring.

Located two miles north of town just north of a winding country road, the spring was originally known as Crystal Spring. It is one of the largest single springs in the Flint Hills.

The spring is on private property. According to "Marion County History - Past and Present," by Sondra Van Meter, the spring was leased by the city of Florence from Ralph Robison in 1920. A water main was installed from the spring to the town. It has been supplying the town's water ever since.

The pump at the spring has the capacity to deliver up to 370 gallons per minute to the water tank in town.

The 99-year lease includes four acres and rights-of-way for the access road and water main. The city paid $10,000 the first year and $500 each year for the remainder of the lease.

The Crystal Spring site is said to have been a favorite camping ground of Indians, and later became a popular picnic spot.

A white concrete bunkhouse is built into the hill and over the spring. Excess water from the spring flows into a nearby creek.

The site has been owned by the DeForest family for many years. According to Charles DeForest of El Dorado, the land was purchased by his father, John.

According to the lease document, the spring also was known as Riggs Spring.

The water from the spring has flown uninterruptedly into Florence except for a brief time in 1951 after flood waters covered the pumps.

DeForest said the spring flow got low in 1956 or 1957, and a well was dug nearby as a backup. He didn't know if the well had ever been used.

"The flow can get low, but I've never seen the spring dry," he said.

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