Erskine Memorial Fountain facts for kids

The Erskine Memorial Fountain is a beautiful old fountain in Grant Park in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. It was designed by J. Massey Rhind to honor John Erskine. This fountain was special because it was the very first public fountain in Atlanta! It was built in 1896 and later moved to its current spot in 1912.

A Gift for Atlanta

The Erskine Memorial Fountain was built to remember John Erskine. He was a very important judge in Atlanta who passed away in 1895. His daughter gave the fountain as a gift to the city of Atlanta. It cost $15,000 to build, which was a lot of money back then!

The mayor of Atlanta, Porter King, officially opened the fountain on May 2, 1896. It was the first public fountain ever built in Atlanta.

Original Location and Design

The fountain was first placed at a spot now called Hardy Ivy Park. This was where two main streets, Peachtree Street and West Peachtree Street, met. The fountain took the place of a statue of Benjamin Harvey Hill. That statue was moved to the Georgia State Capitol building, where it still stands today.

The fountain and a nearby bench were designed by J. Massey Rhind. They have an ocean theme, with cool sea creatures and symbols. You can also find carvings of the Zodiac signs on the fountain. The bottom part of the fountain used to have bronze cups. These cups were attached with chains so people could drink water from the fountain. However, these drinking cups are no longer there.

Moving the Fountain

In 1912, the streets around the fountain were being changed and leveled. This made the fountain stand several feet higher than the sidewalks around it. At first, a city official thought the fountain should be lowered or even removed completely.

But many people in the city were upset about this idea. They wanted to keep the fountain. Because of this public support, the fountain was moved to a new location instead. It was first suggested to move it to Piedmont Park. But by late 1912, the fountain was finally moved to Grant Park. Here, it overlooked a small lake called Lake Abana. This area is now part of Zoo Atlanta.

Current Condition and Future

Since it was moved, the Erskine Memorial Fountain has not been well cared for. Today, it no longer works, and some of its pretty decorations are missing.

Recently, people have started working to save and fix the fountain. A group called the Erskine Fountain Fund was created to help restore it. In 2019, the Grant Park Conservancy received a $100,000 grant. This money will help restore the fountain and other historic monuments in Grant Park.

Images for kids

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  The fountain and surrounding bench