The following article was posted and printed in the Daily Herald newspaper on Thursday, September 22, 2022. Kevin Davis and his wife attended this event on August 18 2022.

Thursday, Aug. 18, was a beautiful summer day at St. Stephen Cemetery and Prairie in Carol Stream.
John Monino, representing Milton Township’s Cemetery Authority, dedicated a rebuilt well in the name of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Joliet. The story of how the well came to be refurbished goes back almost a year.

At the annual St. Stephen Family Day and Mass last September, board member Jeff Castle noticed what he thought was dangerous concrete rubble until he further investigated. He realized that the rubble covered a well.

At the time, Castle had the vision to “take something little and make it beautiful.” He thought he could do better than that. So, he started doing some research on German wells, since the settlers of Gretna, the original name of Carol Stream, were primarily of German descent.

He made plans for the well, building up smooth river stones capped by a ledge of stone. He then used white oak for the structure, with fragrant redwood to line the shingled roof. A wooden bucket on a winch completes the authenticity of the well from the late 1800s. Rebuilding the well is to honor the memory of immigrants who built the community.

Accepting the proclamation of dedication document for the Diocese of Joliet in Illinois was Eric Holloway, the diocese’s director of Catholic cemeteries.

Learn more about the history of St. Stephen Cemetery and Prairie or Friends of Pioneer Cemeteries at this link.