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The Erskine Memorial Fountain is a public fountain in Grant Park of
The fountain was built to honor John Erskine, a Federal judge from
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Grant Park Conservancy
{{Atlanta landmarks 1896 establishments in Georgia (U.S. state) Buildings and structures completed in 1896 Buildings and structures in Atlanta Fountains in the United States Monuments and memorials in Georgia (U.S. state) Relocated buildings and structures in Georgia (U.S. state) Sculptures by J. Massey Rhind
Atlanta
Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,715 ...
, Georgia
Georgia most commonly refers to:
* Georgia (country), a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia
* Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the Southeast United States
Georgia may also refer to:
Places
Historical states and entities
* Related to the ...
, United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...
. Designed by J. Massey Rhind
John Massey Rhind (9 July 1860 – 1 January 1936) was a Scottish-American sculptor. Among Rhind's better known works is the marble statue of Dr. Crawford W. Long located in the National Statuary Hall Collection in Washington D.C. (1926).
E ...
in honor of John Erskine, it was the first public fountain in Atlanta. The fountain was built in 1896 and moved to its current location in 1912.
History
The fountain was built to honor John Erskine, a Federal judge from Atlanta
Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,715 ...
who died in 1895. The fountain, which cost $15,000 to build, was a gift from Erskine's daughter to the city of Atlanta and was dedicated by Mayor Porter King
Porter King (November 24, 1857 – October 24, 1901) was an American attorney and politician who is known primarily for having been Mayor of Atlanta, Georgia, 1895–1897.
Born in Marion, Alabama, he attended Howard College (now Samford Uni ...
on May 2, 1896. It was the first public fountain in Atlanta. The fountain was originally placed at what is now Hardy Ivy Park, at the diversion of Peachtree Street
Peachtree Street is one of several major streets running through the city of Atlanta. Beginning at Five Points in downtown Atlanta, it runs North through Midtown; a few blocks after entering into Buckhead, the name changes to Peachtree Road a ...
and West Peachtree Street. The fountain replaced a statue of Benjamin Harvey Hill, which was moved from the location to the Georgia State Capitol, where it still stands. The fountain and accompanying bench were designed by J. Massey Rhind
John Massey Rhind (9 July 1860 – 1 January 1936) was a Scottish-American sculptor. Among Rhind's better known works is the marble statue of Dr. Crawford W. Long located in the National Statuary Hall Collection in Washington D.C. (1926).
E ...
and feature an ocean theme, along with inscriptions of the Zodiac signs
In Western astrology, astrological signs are the twelve 30-degree sectors that make up Earth's 360-degree orbit around the Sun. The signs enumerate from the first day of spring, known as the First Point of Aries, which is the vernal equinox. ...
. The lower bowl of the fountain originally had bronze cups attached with chains to allow people to drink from it, though these have since been removed.
In 1912, regrading of the nearby streets caused the fountain to be several feet higher than the surrounding sidewalks. While a city official initially recommended the fountain "lowered or removed entirely", public outcry, including from Forrest Adair
Forrest Adair (1865 – 1936) was a real estate dealer. He was the son of real-estate and streetcar developer Col. George Washington Adair and lived in Atlanta, Georgia He served as Fulton County (Georgia) Commissioner from 1895 until 1903. A ...
, resulted in the fountain being moved to another location in the city. While it was initially proposed to be relocated to Piedmont Park, the fountain was ultimately relocated to Grant Park by late 1912, where it overlooked Lake Abana. The area is now home to Zoo Atlanta
Zoo Atlanta (sometimes referred as Atlanta Zoo) is an Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) accredited zoological park in Atlanta, Georgia. The current president and CEO of Zoo Atlanta is Raymond B. King.
History
Zoo Atlanta was founded in ...
.
Since its relocation, the fountain has experienced extensive neglect and is today inoperable, having also lost several of its decorative ornaments. Recently, efforts at preservation have included the creation of the Erskine Fountain Fund to restore the fountain. In 2019, a $100,000 grant was awarded to the Grant Park Conservancy to help restore the fountain and other historic monuments in the park.
Gallery
See also
* 1896 in art *Drinking fountains in the United States
This is a ''history and list of drinking fountains in the United States''. A drinking fountain, also called a water fountain or bubbler, is a fountain designed to provide drinking water. It consists of a basin with either continuously running wat ...
References
External links
Grant Park Conservancy
{{Atlanta landmarks 1896 establishments in Georgia (U.S. state) Buildings and structures completed in 1896 Buildings and structures in Atlanta Fountains in the United States Monuments and memorials in Georgia (U.S. state) Relocated buildings and structures in Georgia (U.S. state) Sculptures by J. Massey Rhind