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The Fountains Of Kansas City
ansas City is thought to City, and in the early 1800s, the
have more fountains than Humane Society of Kansas started
any city in the world to build fountains on top of
except Rome, arguably the these springs, taking advantage
birthplace of the city fountain. of the natural water pressure to
At the last count, it was thought provide fresh, clean drinking
that there were over two hundred water for people and animals to
public fountains in Kansas City, quench their thirsts.
with many more private fountains.
While these fountains were
So what's behind Kansas City's functional and provided an
love affair with water fountains? important public amenity, the
fountains of Kansas City today
Perhaps one of the reasons is are more decorative, and came a
that Kansas City owes its stature little later in the city's
to water - it sits at the development.
junction between the Missouri
River and the Kansas River, and The Beautiful City
as a result was a trading and
departure point for several of George Kessler had emigrated from
the great trading routes - the Germany to America with his
Santa Fe, Oregon and California mother, as a child. He went on to
trails. become a leading city planner,
and it was his plans for Kansas
Fountains of Life City's boulevard system, created
in the 1890s, that are said to
Perhaps as well it is a have spurred further interest in
fortuitous coincidence - a number fountains amongst the people of
of underground springs run Kansas City.
underneath the centre of Kansas
In the years that followed, a residential area in Kansas City,
number of notable fountains were and was the first shopping center
built as part of new developments to be designed to include
in the city, and it became integrated parking facilities.
customary to include a fountain Rather than the sprawling and
in the design of any major new ugly parking lots common with
commercial development - a many of today's developments, the
tradition that continues today. Country Club Plaza included
underground and rooftop parking,
We've selected some of the most making for a pedestrian-friendly
noteworthy Kansas City fountains and attractive shopping
for a closer look, and to show environment.
just why Kansas City is known as
the City of Fountains. Nichols used water fountains
extensively in the planning of
J. C. Nichols - Country Club the plaza, and a walk around the
Plaza area includes fountains depicting
Bacchus, Neptune and Mermaids, as
J. C. Nichols was a prominent well as several others.
Kansas City developer in the
1920s, and was responsible for J. C. Nichols Memorial Fountain
many large buildings of the time,
perhaps most notably the Country J.C. Nichols played a significant
Club Plaza development, which was role in the development of modern
strongly influenced by European Kansas City, in particular
design, particularly that of through the creation of the
Seville, Spain. Country Club Plaza, and this
contribution is marked with the
The Country Club Plaza is a large J. C. Nichols Memorial fountain.
(55 acre) shopping and
This large fountain contains four surface are concealed 49 water
figures on horseback, each jets and colored lights. These
representing a major river of the combine to form a wonderful
world - the Mississippi River, spectacle, and special programmed
the Volga, the Seine and the water displays are regularly
Rhine. Water rises up to 30 feet staged.
from the centre of the fountain,
and the Memorial Fountain is one Firefighters' Fountain
of the most recognized symbols of
Kansas City. The Firefighters' fountain is
located in Penn Valley Park, and
Crown Center Fountains is dedicated to the city's
firefighters, and to the memory
The Crown Center complex is a of those who have given their
combined office, retail and lives in the course of duty.
entertainment complex that
includes the headquarters of the The fountain has a large basin,
Hallmark Cards company. Its with a statue of two firefighters
fountains provide an astonishing in action rising from the middle
and exciting display for visitors of the basin. Instead of water
and residents alike, and through issuing from the central statue,
the use of heated pipe work are the edge of the basin houses a
able to stay open throughout the number of water jets which
year! constantly stream water in an arc
towards the center of the
The fountain itself is remarkable fountain.
- it has no basin and no visible
pipe work or nozzles. It occupies Meyer Circle Fountain
an area of around 2000 square
feet, and beneath the cobbled Sometimes referred to as the
Seahorse Fountain, the Meyer
Circle fountain is one of the This central column supports the
oldest in Kansas City. Located at topmost basin, which sports a
the intersection of Ward Parkway child, playing with a dolphin as
and Meyer Boulevard, its its centerpiece. Water flows from
centerpiece is a 17th century all three levels into a large
Venetian sculpture, bought by ground level basin.
Kansas City developer J. C.
Nichols in the 1920s. The fountain is sited in the
middle of a traffic circle, and
The fountain has several tiers. although it has been damaged by
The base is made up of three vandalism and traffic several
seahorses, all streaming water times over the years, it has
from their mouths. These always been lovingly restored by
creatures support the middle the people of Kansas City, and is
basin, from which a column rises, truly one of Kansas City's most
decorated with cherubs. remarkable fountains.
About the Author:
To learn more about these public water features, visit detailed accounts at the Fountains of Kansas City section within Garden-Fountains.com.
Read more articles by: Elizabeth Jean
Article Source: www.iSnare.com |
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