BY ROGER SMITH
MOUNTAIN CITIZEN
INEZ — A child searching for a turtle had a close call Friday when she stepped into a hole that led to an old hand-dug water well on Main Street in Inez.
The child, 2-year-old Lainey Ray, was not injured, and the incident exposed a much larger opening beneath the surface. A stone-lined water well lay hidden beneath the property beside 21 East Main Street.
Martin County Road and Bridge Department workers responded and used an excavator to expose the old well, then filled it in to eliminate the hazard.
The Martin County Economic Development Authority owns the property. EDA Director and Deputy Judge/Executive Carolea Mills said neither the EDA nor the Martin County Fiscal Court knew the well existed before Friday.
“The Martin County Economic Development Authority and the Martin County Fiscal Court are extremely thankful that the child involved in Friday’s incident was not injured,” Mills said. “The safety of our citizens, particularly our children, is the No. 1 priority of both the Martin County Fiscal Court and the Martin County Economic Development Authority. We are grateful this incident brought an unknown potential hazard to our attention so that it could be addressed immediately.”
According to Mills, the Martin County Fiscal Court originally purchased the property from a private owner and later deeded it to the EDA as part of efforts to redevelop and revitalize downtown Inez.
She said the Fiscal Court and EDA have been working together to create opportunities for new businesses, housing, tourism and economic growth.
Mills said officials have found no deed, map, survey or other record associated with the property that identified a well at the location.
“Based upon the information presently available to us, we also have no documentation establishing when the well was constructed, by whom, or its history,” she said.
Despite frequent use for community events and festivals and regular maintenance of the property, no one previously saw the opening, according to Mills.
Contractors, volunteers, and county personnel must report conditions they observe that could present safety concerns, she said.
After discovering the opening Friday, the EDA and Fiscal Court worked with the Martin County Road Department to address the site.
“Safety is a shared responsibility,” Mills said. “The Fiscal Court and EDA have a strong working partnership, and that partnership allows us to respond quickly when an issue is identified.”
Mills said the discovery also brings to light a challenge that can arise when redeveloping properties that have existed for generations. Old hand-dug wells and similar features may predate modern permitting and recordkeeping and may not appear in deeds or other property records.
She encouraged longtime residents, former property owners and others with historical knowledge of wells, cisterns, old structures or similar features on downtown properties to share that information with local officials.
“That local knowledge can be extremely valuable as we work together to preserve the history of our community while safely preparing these properties for future generations,” Mills said.
“We are grateful the incident brought this previously unknown condition to our attention, and we appreciate the quick response and cooperation of everyone who helped address it.”
Mills said last year that the EDA plans to revive the stretch of downtown that includes this property. The initial phase will create a park area with a fountain while the longer-term goal is to construct a new building with rental space for businesses and upper-floor housing.
