10 Famous Fountains of the United States
A fountain is a component of architectural design that distributes water into a basin for drinking or ornamental reasons. Here are the most Famous Fountains of the United States listed below.
A fountain is a piece of architecture which pours water into a basin or pool. Fountains are used to provide drinking water as well as to decorate and celebrate the builders or important people in a specific civilization. Fountains are used nowadays to beautify parks and squares, for recreation, and to recognize persons and events; however, fountains in the United States no longer deliver drinking water and are solely cosmetic.
10. Scott Memorial Fountain – 1925
The Scott Memorial Fountain is located in Detroit, Michigan’s Belle Isle Park. It was created for the honor of James Scott, a local socialite, at a cost of US$500,000. Scott donated $200,000 of his money to the city of Detroit in exchange for the construction of a fountain in his honor. Cass Gilbert and Herbert Adams were the designers of the Scott Memorial Fountain. The fountain is 510 feet long, sprays water up to 125 feet high, and has 109 water outlets shaped like turtles, dolphins, human figures, and lions. The Scott Memorial Fountain is now one of Detroit’s most beautiful architectural landmarks.
9. Buckingham Fountain – 1927
Buckingham Fountain is a famous landmark in Chicago, Illinois, and one of the world’s biggest fountains. It was built out of Georgia pink marble and holds 1.5 million gallons of water. The fountain is created in the shape of a rococo wedding cake and is open from April to October. It depicts Lake Michigan and has four groups of horses, one for each of the states of Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and Wisconsin. Edward Bennett designed the Buckingham Fountain, while a Frenchman named Marcel Loyau constructed the statues. Kate Buckingham gave it in remembrance of her brother, Clarence Buckingham. The fountain’s official name was Clarence Buckingham Memorial Fountain, and it cost $750,000 to build.
8. Bethesda Fountain – 1873
The Bethesda Foundation is located in the heart of New York’s Central Park on the Bethesda Terrace. The fountain, which was erected in 1859-1864, had remained dry for many decades when it was restored by the Central Park Conservancy between 1980 and 1981 as part of the park’s renovation. Emma Stebbins, the first woman to get a public contract for her creative work in New York, designed the fountain. The fountain is set in the middle of a pool and has a statue known as the “Angel of the Waters.” It takes its inspiration from the Bible’s John chapter 5, when an angel stirs up the waters of the Pool of Bethesda, endowing it with healing powers. Cherubs represent temperance, purity, and health and are found beneath the statue of a female winged angel.
7. Fountains of Bellagio – 1998
The Bellagio Fountains are placed in front of the Bellagio Resort in Las Vegas, Nevada. Light and music have been incorporated into the water fountain. Songs such as “God Bless the USA” and “Viva Las Vegas” are among those featured in the music choreography. The Fountains of Bellagio are erected on an artificial lake that is fed by a freshwater well that was constructed decades ago. The water fountains are impressive, reaching heights of 460 feet.
6. National World War II Memorial – 2004
The National World War II Memorial was created to honor the American people’s devotion and sacrifice during WWII. The memorial was created in memory of over 15 million military officers and over 400,000 war deaths. The monument has a lovely pool with water gushing high into the air. It also contains a wall with 4,048 gold stars that represent the sacrifice of over 400,000 Americans who gave their lives in the sake of triumph. The memorial is available to the public 24 hours a day and is located at 17th Street and Independence Avenue in Washington, DC.
5. Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial – 1997
The Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial was created in remembrance of Franklin Roosevelt, the 32nd President of the United States. He guided the American people through difficult periods like the Great Depression and World War II. The memorial is made up of four outdoor halls that reflect Franklin Roosevelt’s four periods in office. Robert Graham designed the first chamber to represent his first tenure in government, which was marked by severe economic circumstances. George Segal designed the second chamber, which alluded to the president’s second time in office. The room depicts the Great Depression and features encouraging remarks spoken by Roosevelt to the people during “The Fireside Chat.” The third chamber commemorates Roosevelt’s third term as President, which coincided with World War II. The fourth area of the memorial was devoted to Eleanor Roosevelt, the first lady, as well as President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s death.
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4. Rackham Memorial Fountain – 1939
The Bear Fountain is another name for the Rackham Memorial Fountain. The fountain consists of a big basin that is held on each sides by two standing bears. Outside the fountain, there are additional seals, frogs, and turtles, as well as several stone putti. Horace Rackham’s widow, Mary Rackham, donated the funds for this fountain to remember her husband’s involvement with the Detroit Zoological Commission. The fountain is located in the heart of Royal Oak’s Detroit Zoo at Woodward. Corrado Parducci and Frederick Schnaple created the Rackham Memorial Fountain. The fountain was finished in 1939, and the materials used were bronze and stone.
3. Unisphere – 1964
The Unisphere is a stainless steel sphere that represents the earth. It was erected in the midst of a wide, circular reflecting pool and is surrounded by water-jet fountains. The Unisphere is located in Flushing Meadows Park, New York’s fourth biggest park. Robert Moses, the head of the World’s Fair Corporation, inspired the design. The Unisphere was constructed to represent global interconnectedness, which was the subject of the 1964-1965 New York World’s Fairs. It was also designed to commemorate the birth of the space era. The three orbit circles on the Unisphere are claimed to represent the first men in space, Yuri Gagarin, John Glenn, and Telstar, respectively, the first American to orbit the Earth and the first operating communications satellite. This is the third most well-known fountain in the United States.
2. Piazza d’Italia – 1978
Charles Moore, a well-known architect, designed the Piazza d’Italia fountain. Granite pavers and cobblestone were utilized to construct the fountain. The Piazza d’Italia is located near the American Italian Renaissance Foundation Museum in New Orleans. It was constructed to commemorate the major contributions of Italians to New Orleans. The Piazza d’Italia is an icon of late Post-Modernism and one of Charles Moore’s finest creative works. This is the United States’ second most famous fountain.
1. Pulitzer Fountain – 1916
Karl Bitter and Thomas Hastings created the Pulitzer Fountain. It stands 22 feet tall at Manhattan’s Grand Army Plaza in New York. The fountain is composed of six tiers of water basins, with the sixth elevated above the others and a statue of Pamona, the goddess of abundance, standing on top. Joseph Pulitzer, a successful publisher at the time, contributed the cash for the fountain’s construction. He donated $50,000 to the fountain and asked for it to be created in the style of the Place de la Concorde in Paris, France. On top of the fountain is a statue of “Pomona” holding a basket of fruit. She represents the goddess of wealth. The fountain was created to bring Central Park together. This is the most Famous Fountains of the United States.
Where is the Scott Memorial Fountain?
The Scott Memorial Fountain is located in Detroit, Michigan’s Belle Isle Park. It was created for the honor of James Scott, a local socialite, at a cost of US$500,000. Scott donated $200,000 of his money to the city of Detroit in exchange for the construction of a fountain in his honor.