Tyler Davidson Fountain facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Tyler Davidson Fountain
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Nicknames: "The Lady", "The Cincinnati Angel"
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 Location in Ohio
Location in the United States
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| Location | 5th St., Cincinnati, Ohio, United States |
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| Area | 1.2 acres (0.49 ha) |
| Built | 1871 |
| Architect | Von Miller, Ferdinand; et al. |
| NRHP reference No. | 79001854 |
| Added to NRHP | October 11, 1979 |
The Tyler Davidson Fountain is a famous statue and fountain in Cincinnati, Ohio. It's also known as The Genius of Water. Many people see it as a symbol of Cincinnati. It's one of the most popular places to visit in the city.
The fountain was officially opened in 1871. It stands in the middle of Fountain Square. This is a busy plaza in downtown Cincinnati, surrounded by shops, hotels, and offices. For over 130 years, the fountain was in a different spot on 5th Street. In 2006, Fountain Square was updated. The fountain was moved to a wider area, closer to the Fifth Third Bank Building. This new spot keeps it safer from street traffic. Every winter, the fountain is turned off. It's turned back on just in time for the first home game of the Major League Baseball team, the Cincinnati Reds.
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What Does the Fountain Look Like?
This amazing fountain is about 43-foot-tall (13 m). It is made from bronze metal and sits on a green granite base. On the base, you can read the words "To the People of Cincinnati."
The fountain's main idea is all about water. This is a tribute to Cincinnati's connection to the Ohio River. The main statue is called the Genius of Water. She is a large female figure, about 9 feet tall and weighing 2 tons. She looks like she is pouring rain from her outstretched fingers. Hundreds of tiny holes in her fingers create a gentle spray.
The Base and Its Stories
The square base of the fountain has four detailed pictures carved into it. These pictures show four important ways we use water.
- Steam: Shows workers using a steam-powered hammer.
- Water-power: Shows farmers taking corn to a watermill.
- Navigation: Shows a steamboat leaving shore with people waving goodbye.
- Fisheries: Shows groups of fishermen and children.
From the center of the base, a tall pole rises up. It has vines and leaves at the top. Around this pole are four more groups of statues.
- On the north side, a worker is on a burning roof, asking for water to help.
- On the south side, a farmer is in a dry field, also praying for rain. The Genius of Water gently sprays water on these two groups.
- On the west side, a young girl offers water to an old man using crutches.
Drinking Fountains and Fun with Water
Four statues around the outside of the fountain show the fun parts of water. These are actually working drinking fountains! People can still get a drink from them. Each drinking fountain has a statue of a boy.
- One boy is riding a dolphin.
- Another boy is playing with ducks.
- A third boy is wrestling with a snake.
- The fourth boy is riding on the back of a turtle.
The whole fountain is very heavy. It's made from about 24 short tons (22 t) of bronze. This bronze was bought from the Danish government. It also uses about 85 short tons (77 t) of granite.
How the Fountain Came to Be
The Tyler Davidson Fountain has an interesting history. A Cincinnati businessman named Henry Probasco wanted to create a special memorial. He wanted to honor his brother-in-law and business partner, Tyler Davidson, after he passed away. So, Probasco traveled to Munich, Germany.
Years before, two artists, August von Kreling and Ferdinand von Miller, had designed a fountain. They wanted it to be as grand as other European fountains. But their design would celebrate people, not mythical creatures. They couldn't find anyone to pay for it, so the designs were put aside. When Probasco came looking for a similar idea, their designs were perfect!
Probasco asked for four extra figures that would be drinking fountains. Ferdinand and Fritz von Miller, Ferdinand's sons, designed these. You can see the original small model of the fountain at the Cincinnati Art Museum.
Building and Dedication
The fountain was made in separate pieces at the foundry in Germany. Then, these pieces were shipped all the way to Cincinnati. Henry Probasco asked the City of Cincinnati to clear out an old market area on 5th Street. In its place, a wide walkway was built for the fountain. This walkway made the fountain easy to see for everyone.
Ferdinand von Miller traveled to Cincinnati for the dedication ceremony. This big event happened on October 6, 1871. It's believed that about 20,000 people were there! Miller and Von Kreling became quite famous in Cincinnati after this.
Moving and Renovating the Fountain
When it was first built, the fountain faced east. This was towards Europe, where many people in Cincinnati had come from. In the late 1960s, Fountain Square was redesigned. The fountain was moved and turned to face west.
The fountain was repaired and cleaned in 1970 for its 100th birthday. More repairs happened in 1999. In 2005, the city decided to move the fountain again as part of a big update to Fountain Square. This time, it was moved to the very center of the square. The cost for this big project was about $42 million. The city paid $4 million of that. While the fountain was being moved and worked on, it was displayed at the Cincinnati Art Museum.
Fountain Square officially reopened on October 14, 2006. There was a big party with music, food, and fireworks. Today, the fountain is still a popular spot for many events in Cincinnati. You might see movie nights, game shows, or even an ice rink there in the winter!
You might have seen the fountain on TV! It was shown in the opening credits of the old TV show WKRP in Cincinnati. It also appears in the opening of the show Ghost Adventures.
