BUTTS COUNTY, Ga. — Indian Springs State Park in Butts County is well-known for its Spring House. It was built in the 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Core, and is home to an artesian well.
Unfortunately for visitors, the well will be closed until further notice after someone vandalized it.
Adrianna Basterash with the park says its a staple for visitors and the Butts community, with many folks coming weekly to fill up gallons of drinking, cooking, and bathing water.
"We probably have 10-20 cars with 2-4 people in each car," she says.
Some folks say the water has healing effects, a belief going back to the Muscogee (Creek) Indians.
"I've heard people who will come and say it helps with their arthritis, or asthma, allergies, things like that," Basterash adds
The park says for now, the healing is on pause someone broke the dome that covers the well.
Basterash says all they know is the incident happened before Thanksgiving.
They don't know who did it or what exactly happened, but they know the water is now unsafe to drink.
They say they the large hole in the dome exposes the water to contaminants, so no one can get water until a new custom dome is built.
"There's people where this is the water they want to drink all day, every day, so having this damage and having to go through the custom process does put a damper and disappointment with the community to have to wait to get the water they like so much," she says.
The park says getting a new custom dome will take a while, but they are considering other solutions.
"We are currently working to find a temporary solution so we can at least open the water, because we don't know how much longer it will take," says Basterash.
Until then, they say there is still plenty to do at Indian Springs.
"Kayaking, fishing in the lake, you can put small boats in -- less than 10 horsepower motors, we have the hiking and biking trail," she says.
They have much more, like a creek, camping, playground, putt-putt, and more.
Basterash says you can stay updated on the dome's progress by following their social media page or checking the Indian Springs State Park website.