The fountain in Irvine Park close to downtown St. Paul enhances the area with the soft sound of the water.
In 1978 the Robinson Iron Company of Alexander City, Alabama, cast a new fountain. The fountain is not an exact replica of the original but resembles it in height and general design. The most obvious difference is that the new fountain spouts water from gargoyles instead of dogs’ heads. The cost of the replacement fountain roughly 100 years after the original was approximately $40,000. The bronze leaves near the top of the fountain were a gift from the Historic Irvine Park Association.
To learn about the history of the park, click here.
I love gargoyles. Some days I think I was one in a former life!
ReplyDeleteThey made a good job of it. Mind you at 40 grand, its only to be expected.
ReplyDeleteFountains add a lot to any park and I'm glad to see that St. Paul recognizes that and is ensuring that the fountains continue to pour forth their refreshing waters!
ReplyDeleteWhat an extravagant fountain! It looks like it might be quite large.
ReplyDeleteGargoyles do seem more in character than dogs' heads.
ReplyDeleteNice looking fountain.
ReplyDeletea beautiful fountain for sure.
ReplyDeletei love your blog!
What a lovely fountain....and it looks so cool and refreshing in this heat!
ReplyDeleteThis looks very refreshing to me. Such wonderful details.
ReplyDeleteI wonder how much the original cost. The water falling from the bronze leaves reminds me of raindrops cascading from trees.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful cast iron work Kate. Reminds me a little of some of the small park fountains in Charleston.
ReplyDeleteThe soft sound of water spilling over the sides of this formal fountain, would be music to one's ears on a warm St.Paul day!
ReplyDeleteIt's a beautiful fountain Kate, the way you've composed the image this could be any where in Europe!
ReplyDeleteNice shots! I can almost feel the mist from the water showering around me. And I'm sure they sound lovely.
ReplyDeleteI can almost hear the water. I have a gargoyle paper weight on my desk from travels in Paris. They make an interesting fountain.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing this history, Kate. I need to revisit the fountain in Irvine Park now.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great fountain, and I am glad that my Alabama could provide the new fountain! I do love gargoyles and even have some old silver with little gargoyles.
ReplyDeleteBises,
Genie
It is a marvelous fountain and your captures of it are superb!
ReplyDeleteI also thought that the ability to award graduate degrees was the characteristic that defines a university, but when I started to look for something to support that concept, I saw that it is a contributor but not the single defining aspect.
Both are quite elaborate fountains, fun for watching the water fall.
ReplyDeleteSuch a beauty, true artwork.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your comments so much!
This is wonderful! Great shots.
ReplyDeleteI am watching a TV special called Parks for the People, on KAWBM Lakeland TV. According to this documentary, the fountain was made by the same company that made the original, in fact had the original mold!
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