Electric Fountain facts for kids
The Electric Fountain is a cool water fountain in Beverly Gardens Park in Beverly Hills, California. It has awesome public art sculptures, colorful lights at night, and pretty mosaic designs on the ground. You can find it at the busy corner of Santa Monica and Wilshire Boulevards.
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What Makes the Electric Fountain Special?
The Electric Fountain isn't just a regular fountain; it's also a piece of public art! It has different parts that make it unique, like sculptures, carved designs, mosaic tiles, and special lighting.
The Fountain's Design
The fountain has two levels and a round shape. It has a raised area where water sprays up, surrounded by a pool about 30 feet wide. It was designed in 1931 by an architect named Ralph Carlin Flewelling. A sculptor named Robert Merrell Gage worked with him to create the main sculpture and the carvings.
The Main Sculpture
In the middle of the fountain, there's a 6-foot tall granite sculpture made by Robert Merrell Gage. It shows a member of the Tongva tribe (also known as Gabrieleno), kneeling as if in prayer. This sculpture sits on top of a 20-foot stone column, making it stand out.
Bas Relief Carvings
Around the sides of the raised part of the fountain, there are special carvings called bas relief. These are also made by Robert Merrell Gage. They are about 3 feet high and show scenes from the early history of the area and how Beverly Hills began.
Cool Tiles and Mosaics
The edge of the 30-foot wide pool has ceramic tiles. On the ground around the pool, there are terra cotta mosaic tiles. These tiles also show pictures from the early days of the area and how the city was founded.
Lights and Landscaping
The fountain area is surrounded by nice landscaping and benches where you can sit. In 2016, a new multi-colored lighting system was added. This means the fountain, sculptures, and pool light up with different colors at night, making it look amazing after dark!
History of the Electric Fountain
The Electric Fountain was a gift to the City of Beverly Hills in 1931. It was given by Sarah Elizabeth (Fraser) Lloyd, who was the mother of famous silent-movie actor Harold Lloyd. The money for the original fountain came from the Beverly Hills Women's Club. The land it sits on was donated by the Rodeo Land and Water Company.
In 2014-2015, a businessman from China named Wang Jianlin donated $200,000 to help fix up the fountain. Then, in 2016, the fountain, its sculptures, and the area around it got a big restoration and renovation. This made sure the fountain would continue to look great for years to come.
You might have even seen the Electric Fountain before! It was featured in the 1995 movie Clueless. It also appeared in The Go-Go's 1981 music video for their song "Our Lips Are Sealed".
