By Beverly Clinkingbeard

“It’s just always been there.”

That’s the response to the presence of a town pump that is located in the center of Main Street, Westboro, Missouri.

The pump must have been put there to meet the town’s need of water for the shop keepers and residents, as well as a convenience for a thirsty team or town dog.

The iconic pump has even dictated Westboro’s funky habit of parking in the middle of the street rather than on either side. In 1937, it made the Westboro news. “The town pump on Main Street was run into and badly damaged sometime Wednesday night.”

In the 1950s it was remembered that Kings had a pool hall and short order restaurant across the street, to the north of the pump. The building, like many other buildings on Main Street, did not have water and Mrs. King used the pump as her water source. It was also remembered that none of the able-bodied pool players helped her carry the heavy buckets. (She probably didn’t give it a thought as it was women’s work?)

Have you been in another town that has a water pump in the middle of their Main Street? Mr. Stockstill thought he’d seen something on Facebook of another town having a pump, but didn’t remember where it was. It may be Facebook’s secret forever.

These days the pump doesn’t appear to be able to produce water. It looks very small in the midst of Main Street, what with the big new fire station across the street. The pump is “uniquely Westboro.” The days of bucketing water to a fire are over and the modern fire gear stashed behind the closed doors of the station has little need of a town pump. However, it could water the flowers, and a thirsty town dog, as well as be an attraction. One of the main attractions at the Patee Pony Express Museum is a pump. The museum is interactive and children literally line up to pump water.

’Til next time.