It is named after Palo Verde storekeeper and postmaster A.P. Wiley. In 1907, Mr. Wiley dug deep into a shallow well dug in 1876 by a stagecoach company which used the nearby Bradshaw Trail. Wiley made the well larger since he hoped that he could attract business to his remote desert store. The well was taken care of by local ranchers and cattlemen for years afterward. However, the rapidly falling level of the water meant a drop of the water's depth to 60'/18m within a dozen years. Today, the well's original depth is only about 20'/6m at best after wet weather. The water in the well is not good for drinking.