Free Water Pump in Illinois is Believed To Be ‘Fountain of Youth’

Wouldn't it be nice to be able to reverse the aging process just by drinking water from a magical source? Some believe it already exists.

The "fountain of youth" is a legendary water spring that is believed to give eternal youth to anyone who drinks from it, and while many different countries have their only stories about the mythical water source, the exact location has never been proven.

Most Famous "Fountain of Youth" Legends are Connected with Florida

According to the Fountain of Youth Florida website, the most famous association with this mythical body of water is Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de León, who supposedly searched for it in what is now Florida, United States, in the early 16th century.

This story is largely considered a myth, and Ponce de León's actual reason for exploring Florida was likely tied to expanding his territory and wealth.

"Holy Water" Coming from Hand Pump in Illinois Forest Preserve?

If you're wondering why there's a line of people waiting to get free water from a hand pump in an Illinois forest preserve, it's because of the benefits some people believe will come from drinking it.

And this isn't a new water source drawing attention for its apparent healing properties.

In 1945, the Schiller Woods Forest Preserve installed a public water pump, and by 1957 the water source was so popular that anytime the handle broke, the park superintendent would know about it within an hour, according to Wikipedia.

The "Schiller Woods Magic Water Pump" was installed nearly 80 years ago, but is still a popular stop, especially for local Catholics who "believe that the pump was blessed by Pope John Paul II when he visited Chicago in 1979," but there's no proof to confirm any pope ever visited the site, according to Wikipedia.

Is Hand Pump Water Safe to Drink in Illinois?

Water at the pump comes from a natural aquifer 31-85 feet deep and is untreated, but is regularly tested by officials at the forest preserve and is safe to drink.

"Compared to Chicago tap water, it has less copper and scant iron, with slightly higher pH and high levels of dissolved minerals," according to Wikipedia.

And while there's an identical hand pump right across the road that draws from the same aquifer, it's never used like the "magic water" pump.