The J.C. Nichols Memorial Fountain, located near the historic Country Club Plaza, is one of the city's most identifiable sights. It was built in 1910 in Paris and previously graced the home of a New York tycoon. In 1951, the fountain was rescued from a scrapyard and transported to Kansas City. It now stands in front of Union Station.
Country Club Plaza is a public park in downtown Kansas City, Missouri. The park is bounded by 18th Street on the north, Oak Street on the south, Troost Avenue on the west, and Holmes Avenue on the east. It is within walking distance of many hotels in downtown Kansas City.
The Plaza is most famous for its central fountain, which was designed by French artist Louis Cottier and constructed by the American company Shepley, Rutan and Coolidge. The sculpture was inspired by the fountains of Paris and includes figures representing the arts, science, history, and religion. It is believed that James Craig Nichols, a wealthy Kansas City businessman, hired Cottier to create the sculpture as a monument to his wife. The country club where Mrs. Nichols used to play golf was located nearby and the couple lived in a grand mansion on the southwest corner of the Plaza. This estate, which now serves as the headquarters for the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation, was demolished in 1969 when new buildings were erected on the site.
The J.C. Nichols Memorial Fountain is the most well-known fountain in Kansas City. The statues were initially built in 1910 by French sculptor Henri-Leon Greber for "Harbor Hill," Clarence Mackay's mansion in Roslyn, New York. When Harbor Hill was destroyed by fire, the statues were moved to their current location.
Greber's son took over responsibility for the project after his father died, and completed it in 1914. The family then shipped the sculptures back to France where they were given new coats of paint and mounted on a base with granite pebbles taken from the Seine River. They now sit in a park near Greber's home in Paris.
The younger Greber had become interested in sculpture while working as a draftsman for a Paris architecture firm. He decided to follow his own path and travel to Kansas City to find work. When he arrived, he was hired immediately by Thomas Hart Benton, one of the leading artists in the West at that time, to help design the fountain.
It is said that Benton was so impressed with Greber's skills that he allowed him to do the whole thing himself despite being new to town. The two men also happened to be friends with the son of the founder of Midwestern University, so the job opened up there too.
Fountains are now utilized to embellish municipal parks and squares, to celebrate persons or events, to provide recreation, and to provide entertainment. They also serve as a symbol of prosperity in many countries.
The first public fountain was built in Rome in 27 B.C. It was called the "Fontana di Trevi" and it was constructed at the command of Augustus to mark the center of the city. The original monument was made up of three statues representing Neptune, Jupiter, and Mars along with their respective attributes (sea, sky, and war). In addition, four other statues represented the seasons and four more stood for the months of the year. The total number of figures was used to calculate the amount to be paid in taxes!
Today, public fountains are found in most large cities around the world. These fountains are often the subject of controversy due to their cost and their impact on local water supplies. However, they do provide an opportunity for artists to display their talent and creativity.
In conclusion, fountains serve as symbols of culture and civilization around the world. They can also be used to decorate parks and gardens, to celebrate individuals, and to provide recreation.
The first fountains were created in the United States in the mid-nineteenth century, and they were linked to the first aqueducts that brought drinking water from outside the city. The first fountain in Philadelphia, located in Centre Square, was dedicated in 1809 and contained a sculpture by artist William Rush. Other cities that had fountains before 1850 include Boston, New York, Baltimore, and Charleston.
After these initial fountains were built, other artists began creating sculptures for them, including Joseph Conklin, who designed the fountain in Center Square in 1829.
The creation of beautiful public fountains is an important part of urban design. They add color, life, and entertainment to parks and streets. Today, many cities around the world have redesigned their centers with new fountains. Some of the most famous examples can be seen in London, Paris, Rome, and Istanbul.
Fountains come in different shapes and sizes. There are tall ones that tower over passersby, and small ones that fill up a single bowl or jar. Some fountains even spray water into the air!
They can also be divided up into natural and man-made categories. Natural fountains are those that use Earth's water sources such as rivers or lakes for their supply.
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