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Chiming Fountain

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Washington Park Fountain
The fountain in 2006
ArtistJohn "Hans" Staehli
Year1891 (1891)
TypeFountain, sculpture
MediumCast iron
Dimensions3.7 m (12 ft); 2.1 m diameter (7 ft)
LocationPortland, Oregon, United States
OwnerCity of Portland's Metropolitan Arts Commission

The Chiming Fountain, also known as Cupid's Fountain, the John Staehli Fountain, Portland's City Park Fountain and Washington Park Fountain, is an outdoor 1891 cast iron fountain and sculpture by John "Hans" Staehli, installed at Washington Park in Portland, Oregon, United States. It is named after the sound made when water drips down from the upper basin. Staehli, a Swiss woodcarver who immigrated to Portland, designed the fountain to serve as a watering trough for horses pulling carriages into the park. It is based on a Rennaissance fountain and was originally painted white and included a boy statuette, possibly depicting Cupid. However, the figure was damaged, thrown out by the 1940s, and never replaced.

The fountain was restored in 1960, but is no longer functional. It was considered "treatment urgent" by the Smithsonian Institution's "Save Outdoor Sculpture!" program in February 1994. Chiming Fountain has been included in published biking and walking tours of Portland and has mentioned as a highlight of Washington Park in guides recommending family-friendy activities in the city.

Description and history

Detail of the horned gargoyle-like figures

The decorative fountain is located at the junction of Southwest Sacajawea Boulevard and Southwest Sherwood Boulevard in the main circle of Washington Park. It was designed by John "Hans" Staehli, a Swiss woodcarver who immigrated to Portland and was known for his decorative carvings of churches. The fountain was commissioned by the City of Portland in 1891 for $400 and completed by Staehli later that year, becoming the city's second piece of public art. It served as a watering trough for horses pulling carriages into the park. The fountain has been given many different names, but is most commonly referred to as Chiming Fountain, named after the sound it makes when water drips down from the upper basin.

The fountain is made of cast iron and measures approximately 12 feet (3.7 m) tall with a 7-foot (2.1 m) diameter. It has a pedestal and two round bronze basins separated by a narrow post, and stands in an octagonal concrete base which serves as a retaining pool. The pedestal has four horned gargoyle-like figures. On the bottom of the pedestal's west side is an unsigned inscription which reads: "J. Staehli/Portland, Org./64 Second St."

The fountain topped by a boy statuette in 1901

Staehli's design is based on a Rennaissance fountain and was originally painted white and included a figure of a boy carrying a staff (or possibly a fish or a torch) from which water spouted. According to Portland Parks & Recreation, the figure was last recorded in 1912 when Willis McElroy's band was photographed in the nearby bandstand. However, in the 1920s, freezing weather expanded water in the fountain, damaging the figure. The boy statuette was thrown out by the 1940s and was not replaced. Some sources suggest the figure depicted Cupid, hence one of the fountain's nicknames, "Cupid's Fountain".

The city planned to remove the fountain in 1960 for being in a state of disrepair. However, Mayor Terry Schrunk instructed the park bureau to begin a restoration after Francis J. Murnane, local longshoreman and advocate for historic preservation, appealed its removal. Much of its original decoration was absent, so replicas were constructed from existing pieces for $450. The restoration cost around $1,775, including assembly and installation. Despite its restoration, the fountain is no longer functional. It was surveyed and considered "treatment urgent" by the Smithsonian Institution's "Save Outdoor Sculpture!" program in February 1994, and was administered by the City of Portland's Metropolitan Arts Commission at that time.

Reception

The fountain has been included in published biking and walking tours of the city, including one which described it as "elegant". It was also mentioned as a highlight of Washington Park in the guide book Best Places: Portland (2010) and by Delta Sky Magazine. Similarly, the "chiming fountain" has been included in descriptions of the park in guides recommending child-friendly activities and sites in the city. These guides include the website TravelforKids.com and the 2009 book The 10 Best of Everything Families: An Ultimate Guide for Travelers, which listed Washington Park as one of the ten "Best Parks and Playgrounds" in the Northwestern United States.

See also

References

  1. ^ Foster, Laura O. (2014). Portland Hill Walks: 24 Explorations in Parks and Neighborhoods. Timber Press. p. 100. Retrieved November 30, 2014.
  2. ^ "Washington Park Fountain, (sculpture)". Smithsonian Institution. Retrieved November 30, 2014.
  3. ^ Jewell, Judy; McRae, W. C. (May 6, 2014). Moon Oregon. Avalon Travel. p. 86. Retrieved December 1, 2014.
  4. Harvey, Joan (May 8, 2009). "Architect who helped save buildings dies". The Oregonian. Advanced Publications. Retrieved November 30, 2014.
  5. "National Historic Landmark Nomination: Skidmore/Old Town Historic District" (PDF). United States Department of the Interior, National Park Service. p. 77. Retrieved November 30, 2014.
  6. "1852–1900". Portland Parks & Recreation. Retrieved November 30, 2014.
  7. ^ Sybilla Avery Cook:
    • Cook, Sybilla Avery (1998). Walking Portland. Globe Pequot. p. 160. Retrieved November 30, 2014.
    • Cook, Sybilla Avery (April 2, 2013). Walking Portland, Oregon. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 109. Retrieved November 30, 2014.
  8. ^ "Washington Park". Portland Parks & Recreation. Retrieved November 30, 2014.
  9. Roll, Todd (2014). Pedal Portland: 25 Easy Rides for Exploring the City by Bike. Timber Press. p. 42. Retrieved November 30, 2014.
  10. Gottberg, John; Lopeman, Elizabeth (June 1, 2010). Best Places: Portland (8 ed.). Sasquatch Books. p. 420. Retrieved November 30, 2014.
  11. Schneiderman, John. "Portland's Pristine Parks". Delta Sky Magazine. MSP Communications. Retrieved December 2, 2014.
  12. "Portland – Washington Park". TravelforKids.com. Globetracks, Inc. Retrieved December 1, 2014.
  13. Magsamen, Susan (2009). The 10 Best of Everything Families: An Ultimate Guide for Travelers. National Geographic Books. p. 106. Retrieved December 1, 2014.

External links

Washington Park

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