Social Circle’s renowned wishing well has been dismantled for a rebuild

There is little that is more distinct about the city of Social Circle than the wishing well that stood in the center of S. Cherokee Road welcoming people to the city.

Unfortunately, at least for the moment, there is now an empty space where the wishing well previously stood. Not for the first time, the well has been damaged by traffic in the area and will again have to be replaced.

“As far as we know someone backed into it from the angled parking space. It happened a couple of times within the last two weeks,” Social Circle Mayor David Keener said, going on to note that the well has sustained similar damage before. “But it’s never been damaged to the extent it was this time.”

Keener said the well will be down for a time, but will soon be returned to its place of pride in downtown Social Circle – a little better equipped to withstand any more mishaps.

“The well is being rebuilt and will be placed in the same location as it was. We are looking at a couple of different options for fortification,” Keener said.

When still standing, the Social Circle wishing well was surrounded by decorative foliage inside a little gazebo with a plaque giving some folklore about how the city got its name. The story goes that a group of men were sitting in a circle having a drink when a stranger approached. The stranger was touched by the hospitality of the townsfolk when they invited him to join them. He is said to have remarked, “This is surely a social circle,” hence the name the city now carries.