As NGWA celebrates its 50th anniversary, a nostalgic mood has settled over the staff of Water Well Journal. It’s been a time of reflection, of appreciating how far we’ve come and of renewing our pride in what we’ve accomplished during the last five decades; it’s also been a time of looking forward and planning for the future. In this spirit, we asked readers to send us information on the oldest water well drilling firms. What follows is a brief history of those companies that responded. All are more than 100 years old and, like fine wine, have gotten better with age. Aspects of their histories will sound familiar; many of their experiences will mirror your own. We hope that you’ll glean a few secrets to their success and longevity and maybe even come away with renewed enthusiasm for this most honorable business of water well drilling just as we have. We realize there are many more firms that have achieved the milestone of 100 years. If you are one of them, send us a letter so we can publish it in a future issue.

B.L. Myers Bros. Inc. (an offshoot of E.G. Myers Drillers, established 1884) Glenmoore, Pennsylvania “Myers since 1884” is what the company stationery of B.L. Myers Bros. Inc. proudly states. It was in that year that Edward G. Myers founded E.G. Myers Drillers. Originally a boiler factory worker, Edward learned well drilling as a side job, eventually purchasing a well drilling company and moving it to Salunga, Pennsylvania. Edward had five sons, all of whom entered the family business, which became known as E.G. Myers and Sons. Railroad contracts obtained by the company, when the Pennsylvania Railroad was being constructed in the Lancaster County area, fueled rapid growth for the company. When Edward retired, the company split up. Son Ralph formed Ralph L. Myers and Sons (which today is known as Myers Brothers Drilling Contractors of Salunga, Pennsylvania), while his brother Charles formed C.L. Myers and set up business in Coatesville, Pennsylvania. Charles’ son Leroy joined his father by working in the water well drilling company, which eventually morphed into Lee Myers and Sons. Continuing the tradition, Leroy’s son Barry became a well driller, actually forming his own company, B.L. Myers and Sons, at age 18. Today Barry, his brother Gregg, and his son David are actively involved in the business, which is located in Glenmoore, Pennsylvania. The company has grown to include branches in Belchertown, Massachusetts, and Herkimer, New York. They have more than 30 employees and service

the New England states to Maryland, specializing in environmental, municipal, and residential drilling, well and pump installation, testing, conditioning, and service. “We give individual attention to each client regard-less of their needs,” says David, “from the engineer with a major construction problem to the homeowner with a pressure problem.” Indeed, David feels that, if anything, the company’s specialty is good quality service. “We have not forgotten our responsibility to proficiently service other families and other professionals as we ourselves would like to be served,” he says. “We take time to educate our clients, answer questions, explain the details, and, as appropriate, provide construction service options that may adjust most easily into a budget.” It’s no wonder B.L. Myers Bros. Inc.’s best advertisement is word of mouth. B.L. Myers Bros. may have its origins in the 1880s, but today it’s a highly evolved professional operation using the most up-to-date technology and state-of-the-art equipment. But that doesn’t mean they don’t have an occasional run-in with this industry’s antiquated practices. David recalls with a grin a residential job they were hired to do several years ago in Chester County. “We had suggested a well location” on the homeowner’s property, “but found that our choice didn’t come close to the location chosen by the client’s dowser,” says David. The dowser claimed that the location he specified would produce 50 gpm at 60 feet, and the homeowner was convinced Myers should drill there. “We struggled to get the drill rig onto the stake (marking the dowsers spot) which was between trees and construction debris on top of a narrow wedge of fill behind the house,” David continues. “After two days of pushing pipe and lugging rods, we still had only 1/2 gpm. The client called the dowser and he advised we tap the casing with a metal hammer while walking counter-clockwise around the well three times.” They did as the dowser instructed, and ... “nothing happened,” says David. “We relocated the well to our original spot and got a good producing well at 150 feet.” If E.G. Myers were here today, it would very likely surprise him to hear that dowsers still have any influence in our industry. But David says the biggest surprise for E.G. would be the speed at which a well can be constructed today. “It would take days to drill what takes one hour today,” he says. And E.G. would no doubt be proud of B.L. Myers Bros. Inc. “That the family has continued to provide reputable service all these years,” says David, “would make him very proud.”