In 1640, King Charles I granted the Smith family 640 acres of land, which included the Spring, in what is now around Main and Lowell Streets in Lynnfield heading into West Peabody. Joseph Franklin Smith established Pocahontas Spring Company in 1901 at the age of 21 and who was the grandson of a Revolutionary War veteran.
Joseph Franklin Smith was born in 1881 and was a Lynnfield selectman for several terms through the 1920s, while also serving numerous other positions in town.
One story that particulary stood out was Pocahontas Spring’s connection to the Salem Witch Trials. Another Smith ancestor, Lucy Smith, was arrested during the Salem witch hysteria of 1692 and escaped hanging only because of an order from the governor prohibiting any more witchcraft-related executions. Specifically, Lucy was accused of making the Pocahontas Spring boil.
Moving ahead several centuries, Joseph Franklin Smith sold water from the spring all over the North Shore in horse drawn water wagons in the early days of the 1900s. As told to us in a meeting in 2014 with John C. Smith, the son of Joseph, that his father brought Pocahontas water in horse-drawn wagons, loaded with water carboys during the Great Salem Fire in 1914. A daunting task as the streets of Salem were hot from the fire and it bothered the horses. The water deliveries were surely running 24 hours a day to keep residents with water
The fire destroyed 1,376 buildings, burned 253 acres and made over 18,000 people homeless or jobless in Salem. The fire encouraged the creation of the United States Employment Service. Pocahontas water was a precious needed resource in a civil emergency in one of the great industrial fires of this country.
The tradition of the Spring’s supply of water to vendors and customers continues today as the former owners claim this is one of the town’s oldest continuing running businesses and is vital to town history. To this day we know the value of a pure drinking water resource.
Militia distributing water to the homeless
A separate historical note says that the spring was able to produce 100 gallons of water per minute, and that when Joseph F. Smith brought his first batch of Pocahontas water to try to sell in Salem, only the mayor was willing to part with 30 cents to buy some – most of the other residents apparently saw it as akin to paying for air. Over the years, many town residents have seen the stone structure that covers the spring. It was also noted that the adjoining Jonathan Smith family farmhouse, built in the 1840s, once had a direct link from the spring piping into its basement. Apparently a few years ago the town made sure that the link was closed off, although it had been for some time.
Pocahontas Tavern
Town residents may also be interested to learn thatin 1928, Joseph Smith opened the Pocahontas Tavern to go with his spring, but it was reportedly doomed by a combination of the Great Depression and World War II gas rationing. There was also apparently a miniature golf course at the site.
Horse drawn water wagon.
Salem Fire at its height..
I’ve been drinking your spring water for a few months now . The water is great. Tastes great and I feel a health benefit from drinking it. I bought glass jugs online to fill with your water. Would recommend using glass containers , not plastic . — Thanks , Mark
Hi Mark, thanks for your interest in the Spring. Yes, glass, unlike some plastic bottles, does not contain any harmful chemicals such as BPA, phthalate, PVC, or polycarbonate, so nothing can leach into your water from a glass bottle. Mineral Spring Water from the Source and in glass is always best!
I have been coming here faithfully every week for the last five years.Except when they were closed for a few weeks while waiting on a new license to operate.I love the taste of the water and the benefits from drinking it are very healthy. It’s just loaded with minerals to keep us all very healthy. I would recommend if you have never been here to give it a try and you will not regret it.
I will continue to drink this for as long as i can.
Thank you,
Edward Quinn
I am so proud of what you have done to the Pocahontas Spring! I am sure my father is looking down and smiling. Thank you for preserving this beautiful God-given natural resource.
Hi Lucy, Are you part of the Smith family? Joseph was my Grandfather. We might be cousins!
I am very happy to have such a wonderful resources local to get great water for my family. Mark is helpful and very kind.
I just happened to Google Pocahontas Spring Water and I cannot believe my eyes, that it is OPEN AGAIN!!!! I miss going to the spring and enjoying this awesome living water! THANK YOU for re-opening!! I’m coming back very soon!! 🙂
Thank you for protecting this very precious water. I found it yesterday and am so grateful! The water is fresh, alive and full of precious minerals which my body absorbed right away! So far very good! I look forward to coming back again and will keep you posted!
Blessings
Recently got a couple gallons of this water. I’ve been feeling very tired in the mornings, even after a full nights sleep, on top of acid reflux problems. I was drinking regular tap water and bottled water for a while, and 2 days after I started drinking this alkaline water, most of my energy came rushing back miraculously. I couldn’t believe it either, but I’m not touching any other water but this from now on!
I have been drinking the amazing water from Pocahontis Spring since I was diagnosed with thyroid disease and noduals on my vocal chords.
The noduals have shrunk dramatically! Additionally, my thyroid tests have come back beautifully and medicine has been drastically reduced!!!
Many thanks to the proprietor as It’s truly wonderful to see the babbling stream out back and how it has been cleaned up and being brought back to its ancient splendor.
So blessed to have this water available!
Perfect. Thanks for being so responsive. I will contact you for a refill.