''Cascading Waterfall'' is a public art work by
American
American(s) may refer to:
* American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America"
** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America
** American ancestry, p ...
artist
John Joseph Earley
John Joseph Earley (1881 in New York City – November 25, 1945) was the son of James Earley, a fourth generation Irish stone carver and ecclesiastical artist. A skilled artisan, architect, and innovator in the use of concrete Earley is best know ...
, located in
Meridian Hill Park
Meridian Hill Park, also known as Malcolm X Park, is an urban park in Washington, D.C., located in the Meridian Hill neighborhood that straddles the border between Adams Morgan and Columbia Heights. The park measures and is bounded by 15th, 1 ...
,
Washington, DC
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly known as Washington or D.C., is the capital city and Federal district of the United States, federal district of the United States. The city is on the Potomac River, across from ...
. The fountain, reminiscent of 16th century
Italian villas, focuses primarily on thirteen large semi-circular basins forming a water cascade that overlooks the historic park. The fountains are the largest of their kind in the United States.
Description
Primarily made of concrete, the water flows from two terrace
fountain
A fountain, from the Latin "fons" ( genitive "fontis"), meaning source or spring, is a decorative reservoir used for discharging water. It is also a structure that jets water into the air for a decorative or dramatic effect.
Fountains were o ...
s and reappears in "three columns of water and two shell spills in five niches which are located in the face of terrace retaining wall." After entering the niches, the water moves from two basins and two more spout overflows, and then into a series of thirteen graduated cascade basins that enter into large pools. The large pools feature four grotesque spouting masks, four urn jets, two dolphin sprays, and eight white water jets that help to refresh the water of the pool. The 16th Street side of the fountain has more niches and shell overflows and a recirculation room is in the control room under the great wall. Landscaping and walkways flank the fountain on both sides.
Information
The waterfall, which was completed in 1936. The walkways surrounding the waterfall features the first use of aggregated
concrete
Concrete is a composite material composed of aggregate bound together with a fluid cement that cures to a solid over time. It is the second-most-used substance (after water), the most–widely used building material, and the most-manufactur ...
anywhere in the world.
The waterfall is maintained by the
National Park Service
The National Park Service (NPS) is an List of federal agencies in the United States, agency of the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government, within the US Department of the Interior. The service manages all List ...
.
Condition
The waterfall was surveyed in 1994 by Save Outdoor Sculpture and at the time treatment was needed.
A broken pump caused the fountains to stop operating in 2016. In 2017, local residents living near the fountains created a community group to report to the National Park Service whenever the fountains were not operating. The following year,
WAMU
WAMU (88.5 FM) is a public news– talk station that services the greater Washington, DC metropolitan area. It is owned by American University, and its studios are located near the campus in northwest Washington. WAMU has been the primary Nati ...
reported that the water supply piping had leaks. Contractors began to fix the piping, however, work stopped when they discovered that the pipe was cast iron. The National Park Service reported that they would replace 90 feet of piping to ensure the waterfall's continual operations. As of 2016, half of the funding to maintain Meridian Hill Park was used to maintain the fountains.
Further reading
*Clem, Fiona J. ''Meridian Hill Park''. Mount Pleasant: Arcadia Publishing (2017).
References
External links
Meridian Hill Park: City Within a City
{{Public art in Washington, D.C., state=collapsed
1936 sculptures
Artworks in the collection of the National Park Service
Buildings and structures completed in 1936
Concrete sculptures in Washington, D.C.
Waterfalls
Meridian Hill/Malcolm X Park