The bust of Delbert J. Haff was installed in 1967.

Located outside of Swope Park, in which the Starlight Theatre and the Kansas City Zoo are located, the Delbert J. Haff Circle Fountain and bust sculpture honors the man largely responsible for the city's park system today. Delbert J. Haff (1859-1943) was born in Michigan and eventually studied law and passed the Michigan bar in 1885. In Kansas City, he helped the park board resolve financial and legal difficulties during the 1890s. He would also lead the effort to enable the city to create a park and boulevard system and served as park commissioner from 1908-1912. The fountain and half circle were dedicated 1940. The bust sculpture was created by Jorgen Dreyer in 1913 but not installed until 1967 (until that point it was in storage). 

Delbert J. Haff Circle Fountain

This short drive starts at the bridge dedicated in honor of local leader Mamie Hughes and includes numerous landmarks throughout Swope Park, including several fountains and monuments. The driving tour also offers a way to explore the history of several Kansas City institutions such as Starlight Theatre and the Kansas City Zoo. 

Swope Park Driving Tour

In 1917, a time when the nation still forbade women from voting, National American Woman Suffrage Association President Anna Howard Shaw proved instrumental in mobilizing American women for the war effort. Shaw founded the Women's Committee of the Council of National Defense to help the millions of women who desired to serve by matching them with a specific need. The organizations that employed women reassured the nation that women would not lose their feminity by taking traditionally male jobs – filling the void of men who had left to fight in the war. The Woman's Journal wrote in 1917 that tens of thousands of women joined "The Women's Land Army" to farm, freeing men to enlist in the military and assuring the nation and allies would have an ample supply of food.It's not the first time women played a supporting role in a war effort, including during the Revolutionary War. During the Civil War, women gained acceptance from doctors and soldiers working as nurses. That tradition continued during World War I as eight million women volunteered for the American Red Cross, working in such capacities as sewing (making surgical dressings, masks, and gowns) and nursing. The Red Cross also organized a motor service almost entirely comprised of women (more than 10,000) who worked as motorcycle messengers, truck drivers, and auto mechanics. Meanwhile, Salvation Army "Lassies" operated close to the battlefront, providing soldiers with water and food, mending their clothes, and helping soldiers write letters. But, World War I opened the door for women to contribute to the war effort in ways never before allowed by women, including becoming full-fledged members of the military. The U.S. Army enlisted nearly seven thousand women to work as switchboard operators, with 223 sent overseas. The so-called "Hello Girls" took the same oath of allegiance as soldiers, wore the signal corps insignia, received the same pay as male soldiers, and often worked near the front lines. Seven of the women received the Distinguished Service Medal. However, the 'Hello Girls" did not receive veteran's status or any of the benefits provided to their male counterparts, which was not rectified until 1979, after most of the women had passed away. Women also joined the Navy as male enlistment proved insufficient to fully staff the abundance of ships built by the U.S. during the war. The ambiguous language of the 1916 Naval Act unintentionally opened the door to women volunteering in the U.S. Navy; they had been prohibited from doing so in previous wars. After examining the act, Secretary of the Navy Josephus Daniels determined that the Navy could recruit women. So, on March 19, 1917, the Bureau of Navigation informed commanders they could recruit women into the Naval Coast Defense Reserve to work in such roles as radio operators, cryptographers, stenographers, electricians, nurses, and messengers. Young women, including an abundance of suffragists, flocked to the recruiting offices, with the majority becoming yeomen (F), noting they were female yeomen. Lieutenant Commander Joy Bright Hancock was among the first women to enlist in the U.S. Navy; she rose to the rank of captain in World War II.Nursing remained a pivotal position for women, but they did so as part of the military during World Wr I. Army and Navy Nurse Corps contributed 22,804 nurses to the war effort. Some women served at home, but many traveled abroad to work in military hospitals and troop ships. Lenah Sutcliffe Higbee, chief of the Navy Nurse Corps, became the first woman to receive the Navy Cross, which is second only to the Medal of Honor. Army nurses could be found throughout Europe and even as far as Siberia. Both Army and Navy nurses came home wounded, and some never made it home; more than two hundred Army nurses and thirty-six Navy Nurse Corps died in action. The fountain, dedicated in 1942, honors mothers of American servicemembers and also women who made contributions to the war effort. The 18′ limestone obelisk includes metal stars on three sides: gold, honoring those who died in the war; blue, symbolizing those who were wounded; and white, representing those who returned uninjured. The official War Mother's insignia dons the fourth side.

This fountain honors Kansas City area mothers during World War I. Dedicated in 1942 as America entered a second global way, planning for this monument began in the interwar period.This monument's emphasis on women's role as mothers reflects contemporary views on the primary role of women, and it also reflects the substantial contributions of women to the homefront along with the shared sacrifice of families. World War I saw the mobilization of American women, including in official military roles for the first time. Seven women received the Distinguished Service Medal during World War I, and 600 women died. As part of both the Navy and Army, women worked in such capacities as messengers, cryptographers, truck drivers, radio and phone operators, medical technicians, and mechanics, many of whom worked on the front lines. Additionally, women nurses contributed mightily, not just as part of the Red Cross but as members of the Navy and Army; many were wounded or killed in action. Today, this fountain honors those women who served in the Navy directly along with the many civilian jobs within the armed forces during World War I, as well as the original scope of the monument that honored mothers of soldiers. In the three years after this monument's dedication, America's entry into World War II saw a substantial number of women serve in the military and military auxiliary units.

American War Mothers Memorial Fountain

This citywide driving tour includes many of the metro area's most beloved and historically significant fountains. The tour can be experienced in many ways, including a citywide excursion, but is divided into zones to also facilitate the exploration of a specific area of the city without the need to complete the full tour at once. 
The tour starts in downtown Kansas City, Missouri, and winds its way to the Crossroads District, Westport, Country Club Plaza, Swope Park, and then back towards the downtown area all the way to North KC. We will continue to add new entries for other fountains as they are written by local authors. 

Fountains of Kansas City Driving Tour

Francois' uncle, Auguste Chouteau, departed Fort Chartres, Illinois, in 1764 at age fourteen and traversed the Missouri River. He, along with thirty men, stopped in modern-day St. Louis. Chouteau later partnered with John Jacob Astor to create what became the American Fur Company. The American Fur Company matured into the largest and most successful fur company in the nation. Indeed, when Astor retired from the business in 1834, he invested his money in land and buildings in New York, becoming the wealthiest person in the United States. (His great-grandson, John Jacob Astor IV, one of the richest people in the world in his life, died during the famous sinking of the Titanic.) Meanwhile, though not nearly as wealthy, Auguste Chouteau went on to serve as a Justice of the Peace, become a bank president, build a fort, serve as a militia colonel, and work as one of three commissioners to make treaties with the Native Americans who had fought on the side of the British in the War of 1812. Meanwhile, Francois' father, and Auguste's brother, Jean Pierre Chouteau, established several trading posts in the Indian country, including on the upper Osage River in southwestern Missouri. Soon after the Louisiana Purchase, he moved permanently to St. Louis, where he died in 1849. However, Francois and his two brothers, Frederick and Cyprien, received a license to trade with Native Americans west of the Missouri River. Consequently, they also established trading posts. In 1819, Francois Chouteau and his cousin established a temporary trading post for the American Fur Company on the Randolph Bluffs along the Missouri River in western Missouri. Francois and his wife, Bérénice, along with Cyprien, moved the post a few miles (located near the north end of present-day Grand Avenue), which became the area's first permanent European-American settlement in 1821. Francois, Cyprien, and several trappers partnered to create a fur business in 1825. The fur company focused on western trading routes; Francois Chouteau traveled throughout the Kansas Territory, trading with various Native American nations. Meanwhile, Francois' brothers, Frederick and Cyprian, also built trading houses about five miles north of today's Kansas City, where they traded with the Shawnee and Delaware Indians. A little later, another post was established farther up the river. Additionally, Frederick Chouteau was married four times, twice to Native American women.By 1828, Francois and Bérénice ostensibly established a permanent residency in the area that would become Kansas City. They built a home on the bluffs above the Missouri River and actively participated in developing the town, which existed mainly as a French community. Indeed, in 1835, a resident constructed a log cabin church attended by several members of the Chouteau family so that it became known as Chouteau's Church." François Chouteau earned the nickname "Founder of Kansas City," but he died at the young age of forty-one. His widow, Bérénice, remained active in the church, community, and family trading business, garnering her the name "Mother of Kansas City." While Francois and Bérénice enjoyed an arguably affectionate relationship with the local Indian population, the overall presence of settlers marked the end of Native Americans living in Missouri. For instance, an 1808 treaty required the Osage, the most powerful tribe throughout today's Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas, to give up most of their land in the southern Missouri Territory. (Although, unlike many Native American nations, the Osage made money in the process and gained access to Oklahoma lands that possessed oil, which benefited them economically during the twentieth century.) By the 1830s, the white population pushed the vast majority of Native Americans out of Missouri. So, while the genesis of Kansas City dates back to the fur-trading relationship, Native Americans in the area can point to it as the end of their time in Missouri. Still, the Kansas City artist Kwan Wu's sculptures serve as a memory of the many interactions between the Chouteau family and countless Native Americans. Moreover, it speaks to a meaningful aspect of American history: the fur trade. But, more than just trade, the Chouteau family and local Native Americans interacted with each other in numerous ways. For example, when a significant cholera outbreak occurred in 1827, Berenice sewed shrouds for both white settlers and Native Americans that died (including using her wedding gown as fabric); she also lost two of her children during the outbreak. In the process, she established strong bonds with the Seminole, Osage, and other nearby tribes. When completed, the fountain will involve water flowing over limestone river rocks with mist jets providing a gentle fog over the "river." Three statues are portrayed as traders sitting atop a Missouri River bluff while another Native American trapper stalks his prey. Shortly after the statue of "The Osage Woman" was installed in 2021, it was stolen and disassembled; the thieves attempted to sell it for scrap. The statue pieces were recovered. A conservator in Reading, Kansas, welded the pieces back together, and "The Osage Woman" was reinstalled the following year.

Development of the François Chouteau &amp; Native American Heritage Fountain coincided with the 2021 Kansas City bicentennial. Francois and many members of the Chouteau family were early French traders and trappers who operated west of St. Louis during the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. Francois established a trading post and residency in what would become modern-day Kansas City, and his wife became known by some as "the Mother of Kansas City." The fountain and park commemorate Native Americans who predated the French trader along with the new arrivals of European descent. While the fountain was designed to celebrate Native peoples and settlers alike, it is important to note that the arrival of European settlers set in place a series of events that culminated with tens of thousands of Native Americans in Missouri and eastern Kansas being in a position where they were forced from the area. Starting with treaties and missions in the 1830s, the establishment of the Town of Kansas, the eventual creation of Kansas Territory and the growth of Kansas City, the arrival of French traders started a process that had occurred in St. Louis and other former "frontier" communities. At the same time, it appears the Chouteau family enjoyed a friendly relationship with Native Americans based on trade.

François Chouteau & Native American Heritage Fountain

This playful and thoughtful fountain was first proposed in 1990 by Anita Gorman, a Northland neighborhood advocate and the President of the Board of Kansas City Parks and Recreation at the time. Fundraising began in 1991 which amassed a total of $1.7 million through private and public donations, in addition to the sale of dedicatory bricks, now placed near the fountain. The 5-acre, triangular piece of land in which the fountain rests was donated by the Missouri Department of Transportation and the groundbreaking ceremony took place in April 1994. The small piece of land was developed into a park and the fountain was dedicated on June 21, 1995. The design of the multi-figure installation was centered around the concept of family and the celebration of young lives. The fountain features six, eight to ten-foot bronze sculptures created by prominent local artist Tom Corbin, who has worked with Gorman on several projects. Most of the sculptures represent children who lived in the area and capture the “carefree, innocent quality of children at play.” Designed in a linear fashion, they appear to play follow-the-leader. The 60-foot by 100-foot elliptical fountain was engineered by Larkin Aquatics. While the basin is only 2 feet deep, a total of 72,000 gallons of water pumps through the fountains nozzles at 5,600 gallons per minute, giving the illusion the children figures are skipping through the water. The dedication plaque states: <blockquote>The bronze figures represent children everywhere to whom this fountain is dedicated and the activities that shape young lives making childhood a joy.</blockquote>The figures as a whole represent diversity in the community. In descending order of their placement within the fountain, they are as follows: <blockquote>“Joy” represents an adolescent girl inspired by the six daughters of and gifted by Patty and Charles Garney. The figure is said to be a tribute to the “freedom which today challenges young women to be all that they can be,” standing confidently as she sways in the wind on the tallest pillar.</blockquote><blockquote>“Meeting Challenges” represents overcoming the challenges of life and depicts a boy raising his crutches into the air as he balances on one leg. The figure was donated by the Victor E. Speas Foundation and gifted by Boatmen’s First National Bank of Kansas City. </blockquote><blockquote>“Ballerina” is modeled after Jill James Skjervem, who was an adult at the time and is the daughter of benefactors Mr. and Mrs. C.G. James. It was gifted by Boatmen’s First National Bank of Kansas City. </blockquote><blockquote>“Soccer Player” is modeled after Tom McClung and given by his mother Susan L. Perry. Tom was also an adult at the time, therefore his pose was used as inspiration. </blockquote><blockquote>“Handstand Boy” was modelled after the son of a close friend of Corbin and was a gift from Kansas City Southern Industries as a “tribute to all children.” In an upside down pose, he “looks at the world from all angles.” </blockquote><blockquote>“Girl Wading” is Aubree Collins, a student at Northland’s Eastgate Middle School and the daughter of park district manager Paul Collins. The girl tests the waters as she gently lifts the hem of her skirt and tepidly dips her toe into the water. It was donated by the Clay County Fine Arts Council. </blockquote>

Dedicated in 1995, the Children’s Fountain is located in a small, triangular park at the junction of two major thoroughfares in north Kansas City. The 60-foot by 100-foot fountain is one of the largest in the city and features six, larger-than-life bronze sculptures. Sculpted by prominent local artist Tom Corbin, each figure has a personal meaning and captures the joys of childhood as the spraying nozzles around them give the illusion they are skipping through the water.

The Children's Fountain features six, eight to ten-foot tall sculptures on pillars in a 60-foot by 100-foot elliptical pool.

Children's Fountain

Designed by Larkin &amp; Associates, the 80-foot fountain features geysers that can spray water forcefully up to 35 feet high. Because of this, the Northland Fountain is one of only three publicly owned fountains that runs year round. In the winter the water freezes over, transforming the fountain into a spectacular ice sculpture as the water continues to flow. For the first time in this area of the city, Northland Fountain was the host for the 2022 Fountain Day, the day in which all of the city’s fountains are turned on for the season. In 1957, Kansas City Parks and Recreation first started acquiring the land in this area. The following year, Anita Gorman, who would later become a champion for Kansas City Parks, moved to the Northland neighborhood and began advocating for the community's improvement. She wanted to preserve the land and prevented planned commercial development in the open space near Interstate 29 along Vivion Road, two major thoroughfares in north Kansas City. That plat of land was developed into Northgate Park and decades later, additional property was acquired. Funding for the Northland Fountain was initiated by Northland developer Charles Garney and Anita Gorman, a member of City of Fountains Foundation since its establishment in 1973 and the first woman appointed to Kansas City Board of Park and Recreation Commissioners in 1979. The fountain was constructed in the west portion of the park and dedicated in 1983. It is sometimes referred to as “Spirit of Cooperation,” representing the unified partnerships and funding between public and private sectors who worked together to complete the project. The nearly 46-acre park was renamed in honor of Ms. Gorman in 1991. Anita B. Gorman has been a devoted civic leader since age 17 when she was the city-wide president of YMCA’s group Y-Teen. After becoming a member of City of Fountains in 1973, she was elected to the Board of Parks and Recreation Commissioners in 1979 before serving as President from 1986 to 1991. Gorman also served on the Missouri Conservation Commission from 1993 to 2005 and became the first woman to chair the commission in 1996. During her career, she passed bonds that expanded the Kansas City Zoo, acquired land for additional parks and boulevards, secured land for conservation, and helped maintain city owned monuments. Her love of nature and devotion to enhancing Kansas City has earned Anita B. Gorman’s recognition throughout the city. She continues to be a supporter of the parks and arts, and involved in major fundraising efforts.

First proposed by civic leader and parks advocate Anita Gorman, the Northland Fountain was dedicated on June 21, 1983. Located in Anita B. Gorman Park, it was the first Kansas City fountain constructed north of the Missouri River. The circular, 80-foot fountain operates year-round, transforming into an ice sculpture in the winter. Given the background behind the efforts to preserve this land as a public space and create a fountain at this location, the project is sometimes referred to as “Spirit of Cooperation,” a title that reflects decades of partnerships and funding by both the public and private sector. The nearly 46-acre park that surrounds the fountain was renamed in honor of Anita Gorman in 1991.

The Northland Fountain was dedicated in 1983. 

Northland Fountain

Shoal Creek Parkway is a major thoroughfare in Kansas City’s Northland community of Shoal Creek Valley, an approximately 32-square mile area which was annexed by the City of Kansas City from 1959 to 1962. Due to its historical agricultural use and lack of basic infrastructure, including a sanitary sewer, streets, and water services, the area remained undeveloped for decades. In March 1992, the Shoal Creek Valley Area Plan was adopted to build a framework for the area's development and to stimulate economic growth.The Shoal Creek Valley Master Community Plan was secured in 2000 and included a transportation system, maintenance of services and amenities, support of commercial areas, and preservation of the natural character of this area surrounding Shoal Creek. The construction of Shoal Creek Parkway was made possible with funding from a Tax Increment Financing (TIF) Plan that was originally approved in October 1994, and was built in phases for nearly two decades. In large part to these development efforts and the construction of Shoal Creek Parkway, Shoal Creek Valley saw rapid expansion. When the plan was first accepted in 1994, the population was 1,743 and had only grown to around 2,000 when the first phases of the Master Plan were being implemented in 2000. By 2015, it was nearly 30,000. The area’s original five businesses grew to 160 by 2016. Shoal Creek Valley is also now home to multiple schools, parks and golf courses.The Shoal Creek Parkway Garden Fountain was installed in the median of this busy parkway, designed by project engineering company Burns &amp; McDonnell, to support Kansas City’s ongoing City Beautiful Movement, which was established at the turn of the twentieth century with the construction of the first boulevards. The movement was implemented to enhance the urban environment with landscaping and statuary.

This large copper garden fountain was installed in 2002 in coordination with the construction of Shoal Creek Parkway. Each of the three large bowls are created from overlapping petal-like blades that are embossed with an abstract pattern. Water spouts from the top in four directions through a spherical cap, and gaps between each petal allow water to trickle down to the succeeding tiers before reaching a limestone-block pool. The pedestal is also embossed and features knob-like protrusions surrounded by a swirling pattern, while leaf-like forms rest under the base of each saucer.

Shoal Creek Parkway Garden Fountain was installed in 2002.

Shoal Creek Parkway Garden Fountain

The Shoal Creek Golf Course was built in coordination with the Shoal Creek Valley Master Community Plan, which was approved in 2000. Totaling an area of 1,978 acres, the plan established the construction of infrastructure, regulatory processes, and a comprehensive land-use pattern for development of residential and commercial properties, community facilities, and included 220 acres for a golf course. The picturesque, par 71 course was designed by Steve Wolfard and opened in the fall of 2001. It has become one of the highest rated golf courses in the area.

Complementing the natural landscape and rolling hills of the Shoal Creek Valley, this fountain at the entrance to Shoal Creek Golf Course was designed by Parks Department landscape architect Dennis McMan. Made of limestone blocks, multiple small waterfalls flow into a shallow pool which is landscaped with a variety of trees, shrubbery, and grasses. This fountain was installed in 2002, the year following the opening of Shoal Creek Golf Course.

Shoal Creek Golf Course Entry Fountain features multiple small waterfalls

Shoal Creek Golf Course Entry Fountain

Kansas City Northland 

With money raised by Maxine McFarlane, Bernard’s aunt and head of The Action Committee for Social Change, the memorial plaza and fountain were installed in 1985. The five foot, hexagonally-shaped pyramid fountain was officially dedicated on August 15, 1988. Sculpted by Eugene “Bud” Bortner, the 5’ 8” bronze statue of Powell was not installed until 1991. As depicted, Powell would often wear a Black beret, a growing symbol of Black activism at the time. Accompanying the fountain are several plaques describing Powell's life, a list of those who contributed to the memorial, as well as a time capsule that is to be opened on August 17, 2041. Bernard Powell was born on March 5, 1947, just minutes before his twin brother. From a young age he became involved with the Civil Rights movement, first joining the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NCAAP) at 13 years old. In 1965, he became the , graduated from Central High School, and joined Martin Luther King in Selma, Alabama for a series of marches that would be a momentous turning point for Black voting rights. Following the riots in protest to Dr. King's assassination in 1968, Powell helped establish the Social Action Committee of 20 (SAC20). The organization focused on justice, equality, and teaching Black youth job and leadership skills. Quickly rising to civic duty in the following years, Powell became a member of several committees, including the Governor’s Advisory Council on Comprehensive Health Planning for Missouri and the Human Resources Corporation. He also participated in the Urban League of Kansas City and the Missouri Head Start Council. In addition to being a civil rights activist, Powell also believed in community empowerment. He invested in the Prospect corridor, an area of Kansas City which was becoming devalued by many, largely in part to a recession in the 70s. His philosophy was “Ghetto or Goldmine - The Choice is Yours” as he worked tirelessly for his community to realize their full potential. Powell joined the NAACP at age 13. After graduating from Central High School in 1965, he joined Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., in the Selma-to-Montgomery March. He was a leader in local and national efforts to end racial discrimination and increase the political and economic power of African Americans.Powell later became regional director of the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE). In the wake of the April 1968 assassination of Dr. King, Powell established the Social Action Committee of 20 (SAC-20) to provide leadership skills to young African Americans. Powell often wore a black beret in support of the Black Power movement. For these and similar endeavors, he received many honors including the Jefferson Award for Public Service.Tragically, Bernard Powell was shot and killed on April 8, 1979 at Papa Doc’s East Side Social Club by a former member of the SAC20. In his short life, Powell received several merit awards, including the “Outstanding Man of the Year” by the National Junior Chamber of Commerce in 1977 and the National Jefferson Award from the American Institute for Public Service in 1978. Posthumously in his honor, in 1980 the Bernard Powell Award was established by the KC Chamber of Commerce for those who demonstrate extraordinary community action. Most recently Powell was recognized as one of ten community honorees for RideKC’s Paving the Way Honor Plaque Program, which celebrates those who made contributions to Prospect Avenue’s rich history. His granite plaque can be found on the northbound Prospect MAX bus stop at 27th Street.One of the plaques at this memorial reflects on Powell’s character and vision for his community. It reads: <blockquote>Bernard Powell</blockquote><blockquote>Born March 5, 1947	Died April 8, 1979</blockquote><blockquote>Though Gone … But Not Forgotten</blockquote><blockquote>He was tried in the furnace of a life of bigotry and racism and in the heat of that furnace, the dross was separated from the true gold of his character. A courageous and happy spirit, reflecting the radiance of his life for his people in the community in which he worked hard in and for. He taught: “Let Each Teach Unity” and left with us a reminder or a challenge: “Ghetto or Goldmine - The Choice Is Yours.” Strong families make strong neighborhoods, strong neighborhoods make strong communities, strong communities make strong districts, strong districts make strong counties, strong counties make strong states, and strong states make a strong nation. </blockquote>

This memorial commemorates the life and legacy of one of Kansas City's leading African American activists, Bernard Powell. Located on the eastern side of Spring Valley Park across the street from his childhood home, a life-size bronze statue of Powell sits atop a large pyramid-shaped fountain. Though his life was tragically cut short at age 32, Bernard Powell worked tirelessly for the Black community from a young age. He became involved in the civil rights movement at 13, became the Regional Director of the Congress of Racial Equality while in high school, and helped establish the Social Action Committee of 20 at age 21. From there he worked with several civic organizations and advocated for the investment of the Prospect corridor community.

The Bernard Powell Memorial Fountain and plaza were installed in 1985 and dedicated in 1988. The bronze statue was installed in 1991.

Bernard Powell Memorial Fountain

In 1893, landscape architect George Kessler introduced the City Beautiful Movement as part of the newly established parks and boulevard system. In his plan, Kessler stated, "The city should have some place where everybody can see beautiful flowers, and flowers more or less rare, in abundance and under conditions of artistic grouping or display. The 'Paseo' offers this opportunity." Named after a major thoroughfare in Mexico City called the "Paseo de la Reforma,” The Paseo was designed after Drexel Boulevard in Chicago, Illinois, and was built to connect Independence to Kansas City. In 1899, the beautifully landscaped boulevard became an attraction and source of local pride.In 1899, the Ninth Street Fountain (now Women’s Leadership Fountain) was the second fountain built in Kansas City; the first was at 15th and The Paseo but no longer exists. The oval-shaped fountain is made of limestone and originally contained a multi-tiered vertical spray nozzle. The flowing water drained directly to the sewer, but in 1970 after nearly two decades of disuse, the basin was improved and an underground electrical system and circulation pump were added. A partial restoration was implemented in 1989 with funds raised from Central Exchange, an organization that promotes women's equity. At this time, the fountain was renamed The Women’s Leadership Fountain. The full restoration was completed in 2003 by STRATA Architecture with funds from the sale of city property. Thirteen women who overcame adversity and made notable contributions to the city are memorialized in the fountain:<blockquote>Myrtle Page Fillmore (1845-1931) - School teacher, author, and founder of Unity School of Christianity </blockquote><blockquote>Phoebe Jane Ess (1850-1934) - Advocate of social reform and women’s suffrage, the “Dean” of Missouri club women</blockquote><blockquote>Alice Berry Graham (1850-1913) - Dentist, co-founder of Children’s Mercy Hospital</blockquote><blockquote>Mary Harmon Weeks (1851-1940) - Advocate for education, founder of the first Parent Teacher Association in Missouri, and the first president of the Athenaeum, the oldest active Kansas City women's club</blockquote><blockquote>Bertha Manheimer Leiberman (1854-1929) - first president and honorary life president of the Greater Kansas City Section of the National Council of Jewish Women</blockquote><blockquote>Katherine Berry Richardson (1860-1933) - Doctor, co-founder of Children’s Mercy Hospital</blockquote><blockquote>Nelle Elizabeth Peters (1884-1974) - Prolific architect</blockquote><blockquote>Caroline Benton Cockefair (1884-1964) - Distinguished English professor from University of Missouri</blockquote><blockquote>Ada Crogman Franklin (1886-1983) - Publisher of The Kansas City Call newspaper </blockquote><blockquote>Guadalupe Bribiesca de Garcia (1893-1977) - Organizer of the Guadalupe Center and community events</blockquote><blockquote>Madalyne Pinkston Brock (1894-1990) - Activist and businesswoman, established the Madalyn Brock Foundation</blockquote><blockquote>Ellen (Nell) Donnelly Reed (1899-2004) - Entepenuer, founder of Donnelly Garment Company</blockquote><blockquote>Esther Swirk Brown (1917-1970) - promoted social justice and equality in education</blockquote>

Originally named the Ninth Street Fountain, the Women’s Leadership Fountain was the second public fountain built in Kansas City. Designed by George Kessler and John Van Brunt, the limestone fountain was completed in 1899 as part of the City Beautiful Movement. It is one of 48 city-owned fountains and is currently the oldest working fountain in Kansas City. The fountain also memorializes thirteen women who have made tremendous contributions to the Kansas City community.

The Women's Leadership Fountain is the oldest working fountain in Kansas City.

Women's Leadership Fountain

Kessler Park was first established as North Terrace Park as one of the original planned parks in George Kessler’s 1893 proposal of the Kansas City Parks and Boulevards System. The land for the park, located along the river bluff, was acquired in 1895. It was described as “wild and rugged” but also “beautiful and picturesque,” fitting into Kessler’s plan perfectly as he designed around the natural landscape. In 1971, North Terrace Park was renamed Kessler Park in dedication to its founder and remains largely in its original state. As this community park was located in primarily rugged terrain, Kessler designed The Concourse as a two-block square, level green space. Construction first started in 1896 when one of the north bluff’s valleys was filled in with dirt excavated from below by horse-drawn plows, then belted into a wagon and dumped into the valley. In 1906, pedestrian walkways were constructed and the surrounding area was landscaped with trees and grass. The first water feature was installed in The Concourse in 1939. The North Terrace Park Concourse Pool was constructed as a shallow, rectangular pool surrounded by a low, stone wall, and was used to sail small boats and as a casting pool for fishing. In 1980, small sprayers were added and contained a spray ring along with several jets spraying inward and upward. The Concourse Fountain (or Concourse Park Fountain) as seen today was designed by Waters Edge Aquatic Designs and installed in 2001. The fountain was built inside of the existing pool basin, while the surrounding space was finished in concrete. It features 15 vertical jets that are adjustable in height and spray through metal grates which creates an interactive space, allowing patrons to run through the water. In addition, the original stone wall is still present. The Concourse Fountain was dedicated on July 26, 2002 and is one of three Kansas City fountains that run year-round.

Once the site of a shallow pool constructed in 1939, the Concourse Fountain was installed in 2001. Located in a level greenspace within Kessler Park known as The Concourse, it contains 15 ground-level jets that invite patrons to caper through the water as it sprays through metal grates. The Concourse Fountain is one of three city fountains that runs year-round.

The Concourse Fountain located in Kessler Park.

The Concourse Fountain

The American Legion was established by Congress in 1919 as a patriotic veterans organization devoted to serving current and former service members and their communities. The American Legion became one of the most influential nonprofit groups in the country, shaping social change and procuring benefits for veterans. The Legion is organized into 55 departments, one in each of the 50 states, along with the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, France, Mexico and the Philippines. Today, there are nearly 2 million members serving at more than 13,000 posts. The third national convention of the American Legion was held in Kansas City from October 31 to November 12, 1921. A celebration took place from October 30 to November 2 in which a parade was held downtown, along with a dedication ceremony for Liberty Memorial which was completed five years later. The 1921 convention also included the dedication of an additional American Legion Memorial Fountain in Swope Park.The American Legion Memorial Fountain was originally installed downtown and dedicated on November 2, 1921. Sitting alone on a small island at 9th and Main Street, the memorial initially served as a drinking fountain, but this feature was only in operation for a few months before the pipes burst during its first winter season. The fountain remained at this location until the city organized a redevelopment project downtown in 1959. At that time, the foundation was relocated to its current location in the heart of historic northeast Kansas City. In 2002, the fountain was the subject of a hit-and-run accident, causing major damage to the stone and plumbing. After the pieces were gathered, it was restored and returned in May 2006. Conceptualized by artists Wilkinson and Crans and sculpted by Robert Merrell Gage, the fountain features a large round basin on a pedestal, with a 6-foot rectangular shaft projecting from its center. At the top, an eagle is carved into each corner. Two bronze bas relief plaques mounted to opposite sides of the stone projection depict soldiers on one side and sailors on the other. Two of the three soldiers are carrying weapons, the center figure with a rifle and the front figure with a grenade. There are two sailors, one appears to be holding a wrench and the other a naval artillery shell. On the opposite sides of the projection are inscriptions. One side offers a quote from Theodore Roosevelt: <blockquote>“All daring and courage, all iron, endurance or misfortune, all devotion to the ideal of honor and glory of the flag makes for a finer and nobler type of humanhood.” </blockquote>The other inscription lists the Kansas City American Legion Posts that had representatives serving on the City Central Executive Committee.

This Kansas City fountain was originally installed downtown on a safety island at 9th and Main and was dedicated on November 2, 1921, during the American Legion's 3rd national convention. The convention included a multi-day celebration along with the dedications of an additional American Legion fountain in Swope Park, and a dedication ceremony at the site of Liberty Memorial, a project that was completed five years later and is now the site of the National World War I Museum. This large limestone fountain was sculpted by Robert Merrell Gage and pays tribute to American soldiers that fought in World War I. The fountain features two bronze plaques with depictions of soldiers in action, a quote from former President Teddy Roosevelt, and a list of honorary Kansas City American Legion posts. The fountain was moved to its current location in 1959 following a downtown redevelopment project.

The American Legion Memorial Fountain was dedicated to 12 local American Legion Posts.

American Legion Memorial Fountain

Scarritt and his family were early settlers in Illinois before moving to Missouri in the mid-1820s as pioneers. Though serving as a Methodist minister was his primary profession, he also became a wealthy farmer and businessperson. Before obtaining his wealth, he preached to the Kickapoo, Shawnee, Wyandot, and Delaware Indians in the Kansas Territory. But, the combination of the bloody Kansas Statehood debates and the onset of the Civil War pushed Scarritt to move with his wife and nine children into a log cabin at the bluffs of the Missouri River near today's Kessler Park and Carl J. Dicapo Fountain. At the bluffs, Scarritt established a thriving farm and built a large home, the genesis of what evolved into magnificent neighborhoods along Cliff Drive. The natural spring not only supplied drinking water to the family, but also provided them with natural refrigeration; they kept their milk and butter chilled in the waters. In the final decades of his life, Nathan Scarritt deftly invested in property made valuable by Kansas City's rapid growth; he left a fortune of several million dollars to his children after he died in 1890 at the age of 69. The park, acquired in 1899 from the Scarritt estate, received the name North Terrace Park and included by 1900 the drive on Cliff Drive that twisted through 308 acres of wooded hills and canyons. The city also developed a water basin around 1907 to collect the spring water. The park project gets its inspiration from lauded landscape architect George E. Kessler, for whom the modern park derives its name, as he passionately championed the development of Kansas City's natural terrain and rugged beauty. The beautiful roadway was a favorite of horse and buggy drivers; automobiles were forbidden access because of the danger of a horse being frightened and plunging off the cliff's edge. From long before white settlers arrived until the 1960s, the spring near the east end of Cliff Drive proved highly attractive because it offered clear, pure drinking water. However, when the automobile supplanted the horse and buggy as the favored mode of transportation, the park had to adapt. Eventually, the park allowed sight-seeing tour busses to travel in the park, many of which stopped at the spring. The constant flow of traffic, both human and vehicular, led to water contamination, resulting in its closure in 1962. However, from that contamination came the new fountain, an artificial version of the original spring. During a 1980s restoration project, the city transformed the covered spring into an eye-catching waterfall, named for Carl DiCapo – a Parks Commissioner. The fountain's purpose draws attention to the natural cliffs and spring water utilized by settlers of the northeast area since the 1800s and the generations of indigenous people before white settlement transpired.

Although Cliff Drive, where one can find the historic fountain, was purchased from the wealthy Reverend Nathan Scarritt around the turn of the twentieth century, the forested rocky bluffs rising 250 feet above the Missouri River served Native Americans in the area for centuries before white settlement. Since then, for more than a century, Kansas City residents have enjoyed the river bluff environment now known as Kessler Park, including the waterfall known as Carl J. Dicapo Fountain.

Carl J. Dicapo Fountain at Kessler Park

Spring Valley Park to Kessler Park

This white marble fountain was purchased in 1923 by J.C. Nichols for his newly developed Country Club Plaza shopping district. It was originally called the “Boy and a Fish” and was located on the small, triangular traffic island at 47th Street and Mill Creek Parkway. It was removed for the installation of the Seville Light Fountain and relocated to its current home in 1968. The sculptures of the boy and fish which originally adorned the top of the fountain are no longer present, however, the ornate basins and pedestal remain intact. Through a partnership between the Marlborough Community Coalition and Kansas City Parks, conservation of the fountain and renovation of the site were completed in 2012, along with the renaming of the fountain to honor the surrounding community.Marlborough is a diverse neighborhood in south Kansas City that is bound by 79th to 85th Streets and Troost Avenue to Prospect Avenue, though it has never had a legal boundary. The Marlborough Community Coalition serves as a neighborhood association for the Marlborough neighborhood and surrounding area, extending north to Gregory Boulevard and east to Highway 71. The Coalition was first organized in 2007 by the then-Deputy Director of Kansas City, Missouri Health Department Clyde Bolton when he proposed an affordable health clinic for nearby, underserved residents. His idea resulted in the Swope Health Care Clinic at 91st and Troost. With success, members then began discussing how they could support other problems affecting the surrounding neighborhoods like blight, equity, and affordable housing. In 2008, the Marlborough Community Coalition became a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and continues to advocate for a healthy and sustainable community and is working to restore the vibrancy this area once had.The location of the fountain also pays homage to The Paseo, which was one of the first major thoroughfares constructed during the ‘City Beautiful Movement’ at the turn of the twentieth century, featuring landscaped green space and art in public areas.

Purchased by real estate developer J.C. Nichols in 1923, this was the first fountain installed in the Country Club Plaza shopping district. The fountain was removed from its home on a busy traffic island when the Seville Light Fountain was installed, then was relocated to its current location in 1968. Originally called “Boy and a Fish,” the fountain has since lost the statues that once adorned it. In 2012, the fountain was conserved and renamed to the Marlborough Plaza Fountain, paying respect to the neighborhood of Marlborough and surrounding area.

The Marlborough Plaza Fountain was originally called the Boy and a Fish, but has since lost the figures that once adorned the top.

Marlborough Plaza Fountain

Kansas City is said to have more fountains than any other city in the world besides Rome. The idea first started in the 1890s when August Meyer and William Rockhill Nelson of the Parks Board hired landscape architect George Kessler to plan the Parks and Boulevards System. He designed major thoroughfares around the natural, rugged topography and intertwined them with landscaped green space, while connecting residential areas of the city. Inspired by city planning in Europe, Kessler was also a proponent of the City Beautiful Movement and transformed what was a congested town built on industry into “a city within a park,” featuring art, statuary, and fountains. Modeled after Paseo de la Reforma in Mexico City, The Paseo was one of the first boulevards completed in the movement and the location of the first two public fountains built in Kansas City. Now known as the City of Fountains, Kansas City boasts more than 200 hundred fountains citywide. The City of Fountains Foundation was created in 1973 after Hallmark executive Harold Rice and his wife, Peggy, returned home from a visit to Rome. While there, they had a vision to enhance and give back to the Kansas City community. They established the Foundation to raise funds to preserve the existing fountains and construct new ones. The following year, the City Council endorsed the foundation and COFF held a metro-wide fundraising campaign. Their initiative was to build and restore one fountain every year, as well as establish a perpetual trust for ongoing maintenance. Today, the Board of Directors for COFF works in partnership with KC Parks and Recreation to operate and maintain the 48 publicly-owned fountains. Harold Dewees Rice (1922-2014) was a Kansas City native and had a passion for wildlife painting. He graduated from Paseo High School in 1939 and later Kansas City Junior College, before getting hired at Hallmark as a lithograph retouching artist in 1941. Rice worked his way up the corporate ladder over the years, first proving himself in an assignment close to his heart. After four others’ were rejected, Harold completed a set of mini waterfowl paintings to be used for the cover of a card by Lynn Bogue Hunt, a popular wildlife illustrator in the mid-20th century. From there, Rice was promoted to lithography supervisor then department head. As an advocate for innovation and breakthrough techniques in graphic arts and production, he then led a new department called Creative Mechanics, became the director of advanced technical research, the director of manufacturing, and later the chairman of the Crown Center Redevelopment Corporation. In 1985, he retired as a group Vice President and a member of the Board of Directors. The dedication plaque states: <blockquote>“In honor of Harold D. Rice – Founder of the City of Fountains Foundation, in recognition of his continuing support and contributions to the parks and fountains of Kansas City Missouri – 1991”</blockquote>

Named after the City of Fountains Foundation founder Harold Rice, this fountain was installed in 1989 and named in honor of his contributions. The four-tiered pedestal fountain features scalloped basins that cascade into a round pool, which is centered in a larger, square pool. Located in the grassy median of the historic Paseo Boulevard, the fountain is surrounded by a red brick patio in a sunken courtyard and at one time contained seating benches. With planning efforts dating back more than a century, Kansas City has amassed more fountains than any other city besides Rome and is rightfully designated as the City of Fountains.

Harold D. Rice Fountain was named in honor of the founder of the City of Fountains Foundation.

Harold D. Rice Fountain

Designed by architectural firm Mackey, Mitchell &amp; Zahner, this two-tier, brick and composite fountain features five bubblers in the top level before water streams through carved channels in the weir down to the lower catch basin. An accompanying plaque reads: <blockquote>“In appreciation of their twenty-six year love affair with Starlight Theatre”</blockquote>Jack Steadman (1928-2015) was born in Illinois and raised in Dallas, Texas. He attended Baylor University before receiving a Bachelor degree in Business Administration from Southern Methodist University. After graduation, he worked for Hunt Oil Company where he met Lamar Hunt, the owner’s son. In 1960, Steadman worked with Hunt to establish the American Football League and founded the Dallas Texans franchise. Steadman moved the franchise to Missouri in 1963, where the team became the Kansas City Chiefs. Steadman went on to have a decades-long working relationship with Hunt, including the development of the amusement parks Worlds of Fun and Oceans of Fun, opening in 1973 and 1982 respectively, becoming a top executive for Hunt Midwest Enterprises, as well as his years of service in football.As an advocate for improving Kansas City recreation, Steadman co-chaired a capital campaign for improvements to Starlight Theatre in 1982, which had been on the brink of bankruptcy. He partnered with Parks Board member Anita Gorman and new Starlight General Manager Bob Rohlf to beautify and improve the theater, including new lights, seats, landscaping and refurbished restrooms. Steadman assumed the role as President of Starlight Theatre’s Board of Directors in 1983 until 1985. During this time, the theater fought its way back to solvency by becoming a producer of Broadway and increasing its contemporary concert entertainment. In the years following, other improvements led by Steadman included a new stage floor and renovated rehearsal space, and a second capital campaign which resulted in a brand new stage, the Jeannette and Jerome Cohen Community Stage in 2000. Steadman served on Starlight Theatre’s Board for 43 years, until his death on July 5, 2015.Over the decades, Jack Steadman proved to be a tireless member and leader for multiple civic organizations, including Heart of America United Way; Chamber of Commerce of Greater Kansas City; Private Industry Council; Full Employment Council; American Royal Association; Children's Mercy Hospital; Civic Council of Greater Kansas City; and the Midwest Research Institute. He has also been presented with many awards and honors for his commitment to the city. Steadman received Starlight Theatre’s Star Award in 1986 for distinguished service to the Arts, was named "Kansas Citian of the Year” in 1988 by the Chamber of Commerce of Greater Kansas City, and in 2011, was awarded Starlight’s first Lifetime Achievement Award for his continued commitment to the theater. In addition, he was inducted into the Chiefs Hall of Honor in 2005, one of only three non-players in Chiefs history to carry the distinction.

Set into a landscaped terrace near the west entrance of Starlight Theatre, this two-tiered fountain was installed in honor of the theater’s longtime supporters Kansas City Chiefs general manager Jack Steadman and his wife Martha. After growing up in Dallas, Texas, Jack helped establish the Dallas Texans football franchise before moving the team to Kansas City in 1963. In addition to serving in a variety of leadership roles with the Chiefs spanning four decades, Steadman was an advocate for the arts and a key contributor to several ventures. Jack Steadman served on many civic committees and boards, including Starlight Theatre for 43 years, where he championed substantial improvements. This fountain was dedicated on August 26, 1997.

Martha and Jack Steadman Fountain at Starlight Theatre

Martha & Jack Steadman Fountain

The Shirley Bush Helzberg Garden of the Stars Fountain and garden are located at the east entrance of Starlight Theatre. It was installed in 1996 and dedicated in 1997 in tribute to Shirley Bush Helzberg for her contributions to the theatre. The fountain features ten waterfalls that cascade between eleven 20-foot tall brick columns that surround the pool below. The pool stretches 180 feet west toward the performance stage, creating a stream-like effect that encompasses the gardens and contains vertical water jets throughout the center. As an advocate for the Arts and generous philanthropist, Shirley Bush Helzberg has had a monumental impact on the vibrancy of Kansas City. Growing up on a farm, Shirley learned hard work and dedication from her parents. Her mother was a great influence in her life, teaching her about the importance of compassion, involvement, and making everything she touched better. She attended Cottey College in Nevada, Missouri before entering the broadcasting and advertising markets, working at agencies and radio stations in the Kansas City area. She married Barnett Helzberg in 1967, established the Shirley and Barnett Helzberg Foundation in 1982, and together have contributed greatly to the city. In 1995, the family business Helzberg Diamonds was sold to Berkshire Hathaway entrepreneur Warren Buffett, which amplified Shirley and Barnett’s philanthropic efforts. Shirley Bush Helzberg has sustained decades of achievements and contributions to Kansas City. As President of the Starlight Theatre Association from 1991 to 1994, she fostered significant growth in Broadway ticket sales, set a box office record, and launched a 5-year capital investment campaign that would bring many improvements and success for the theatre for years to come. In 1996, the Helzberg's donated $1 million toward constructing the “Garden of the Stars,” which has become a prominent landmark and photo spot.In the 2000’s, Shirley ventured into the revitalization of the Crossroads Arts District. She renovated several historic structures and was named the Historic Kansas City Foundation's commercial pioneer at the foundation's award ceremony in 2003. Of these historic structures, the Webster School and Vitagraph buildings qualified her for a Capstone Award, which honors top real estate and development projects. In addition, a $10 million donation contributed to the funding and construction of the Kauffman Center of Performing Arts in 2011, including Helzberg Hall, one of two large theaters at Kauffman and home to the Kansas City Symphony. In addition to her financial contributions, Shirley Bush Helzberg has devoted time and passion to the arts, including involvement in the Heart of America Shakespeare Festival, Make-A-Wish Foundation, Operation Breakthrough, and the Kansas City Ballet. Shirley was also the Board leader of the Kansas City Symphony for 18 years before moving to the Board of Trustees for Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art in 2013. That same year she was presented with an honorary doctorate of musical arts by the University of Missouri-Kansas City and the Conservatory of Music and Dance. In 2015 she was inducted into UMKC’s Starr Women’s Hall of Fame and was also recognized by the Jewish Federation for her devotion and commitment to the Jewish community. There is no question that Shirley Bush Helzberg has made Kansas City better than she found it.

Installed in 1996, the Shirley Bush Helzberg Garden of the Stars Fountain is located at the east entrance of Starlight Theatre. The fountain is dedicated to Shirley Bush Helzberg, known for being a civic leader, developer, and advocate for the arts, as well as the monumental impact on Kansas City with her husband Barnett Helzberg. With great advice from her mother, Shirley learned the importance of involvement and improving everything she touched. She has been recognized for her major contributions to Starlight Theatre, Kauffman Center for Performing Arts, the Kansas City Symphony, and much more.

A detailed look of the brick columns and waterfalls of the Shirley Bush Helzberg Garden of the Stars Fountain at Starlight Theatre.

Shirley Bush Helzberg Garden of the Stars Fountain

Harry Evans Minty (1869-1955) was born in Michigan to Irish immigrant and notable cavalry colonel and commander Robert Horatio George Minty. He moved to Minneapolis, Minnesota and worked in banking before coming to Kansas City around 1900. Minty made a career in the insurance business and was active in many civic and social organizations. He was a member and later President of the social club for young businessmen, Knife and Fork Club; a member of the Kansas City Country Club; involved with the non-partisan political organization Citizens Association; served as the secretary and later Director of the Chamber of Commerce; and worked to raise funds for the indigent while on the Board of the Provident Association, where he also become President.In 1942, Minty was first appointed to the Park Board of Commissioners. He was a respected member of the Board and became President in 1944 until his resignation in July of 1948. Upon his departure, the Kansas City Star commended his ability to handle business while keeping politics out, as the Parks Department had become negligible in their duties in the previous decade due to the political influence of Tom Pendergast. Later, Mayor William Kemp lauded Mr. Minty as “one of the most unselfish citizens, from the standpoint of what was good for Kansas City, that I have ever known.” Efforts during Minty’s time on the Park Board included improvements to Swope Park and the Kansas City Zoo.

Located inside the Kansas City Zoo on the Tiger Trail near the Red Panda exhibit, the Harry Evans Minty Memorial Fountain is an actively working drinking fountain first installed in 1965. Minty made a career in insurance and was a member and leader of many local organizations. Most notably, he was on the Park Board of Commissioners from 1942 to 1948 and worked to restore the Board’s business while keeping politics at bay after the fall of Tom Pendergast’s notorious political machine. Mr. Minty’s daughter Harriet donated the drinking fountain which features a bronze sculpture of one of her fathers favorite zoo animals, a lion cub named “Tyke,” on a corrugated, cylindrical concrete base. It was originally placed near the African Veldt and dedicated on October 19, 1967, then relocated in 1977 following the opening of the Great Catwalk exhibit.

Harry Evans Minty Memorial Fountain

Following a devastating flood of Brush Creek in September 1977, civic leaders took action to minimize future flooding. After several years of advocacy, the Kansas City Parks Department partnered with the Corps of Engineers to implement flood control measures and beautification efforts, primarily near the Country Club Plaza. Between 1991 and 1995, Brush Creek was made deeper and wider, low bridges were replaced, water pumps and fountains were installed, and the first portion of the Brush Creek Trail was constructed. In 1998, the year after Kansas City’s FOCUS Comprehensive Plan was accepted, a redevelopment plan was proposed for the Brush Creek Corridor. The plan addressed community issues and investment opportunities, including residential and commercial development, as well as further beautification. An eastward extension of the existing Brush Creek Trail was also proposed to connect the Plaza to the Cultural District, which includes a concentration of cultural, educational, and recreational institutions, carries a history dating back to the Civil War, and is home to several neighborhoods that have some of the highest populations of residents with African ancestry in the nation.Brush Creek Trail is now a 4.1 mile paved pedestrian path that runs along Brush Creek from the west end of the Country Club Plaza to the confluence of Brush Creek at the Blue River. In addition to several fountains and parks, visitors along Brush Creek Trail can view some of Kansas City’s most prominent cultural institutions such as Bruce R. Watkins Cultural Heritage Center, Kauffman Legacy Park, Gates BBQ, and the Country Club Plaza shopping district. The trail is also within close proximity to the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art and Donald J. Hall Sculpture Garden, the Anita B. Gorman Discovery Center, Kemper Museum, Kansas City Art Institute, UMKC, Rockhurst University, and Loose Park.

Designed by landscape architect Robin Frye, this multi-tiered waterfall is made of limestone blocks and was installed in 1998. Built into the hillside of Brush Creek Greenway, Hillside Fountain provides a tranquil stop in the eastern portion of Brush Creek Trail. This waterfall is located behind the Bruce R. Watkins Cultural Center on the south side of Brush Creek. Across the river to the north is the Spirit of Freedom Fountain and Brush Creek Amphitheater.

Hillside Fountain is located along the Brush Creek Trail behind Bruce R. Watkins Cultural Heritage Center

Hillside Fountain

Located along Brush Creek across from the Bruce R. Watkins Cultural Center, the Spirit of Freedom Fountain was created to symbolize racial unity and honor the contributions of African Americans in Kansas City. Bruce R. Watkins (1924-1980) was a civil rights activist and Kansas City’s first African American to serve on the City Council, to run for Mayor, and to serve as a Jackson County Circuit Court Clerk. Early in his political career, Watkins also became chairman of the Jackson County Democratic Committee. One of his earliest accomplishment was as councilman when he introduced the Public Accommodations Ordinance No. 29153, which prohibited discrimination in public establishments; it passed in September 1963. Following in the footsteps of his adoptive step-father Theron B. Watkins, Bruce actively and successfully fought for civil rights and social justice. In April 1962, he partnered with Kansas City Police Department officer and good friend Leon Jordan to found Freedom, Incorporated, a nonprofit organization that fosters economic development for Black communities and empowers African Americans to vote and impact public policy decisions. To honor the work and impact of Freedom, Incorporated, Watkins and Jordan organized the installation of a monument in 1977. They hired Chicago artist and civil rights hero Richard Hunt, who created this 5,000 pound, freeform bronze sculpture and fountain, called the Spirit of Freedom Fountain. The Spirit of Freedom Fountain was dedicated on September 13, 1981, exactly one year after Councilman Watkins' death. The abstract bronze sculpture rests on top of a pyramid-like concrete base in which water cascades down into an elliptical shaped basin containing six clusters of water jets. Artist Richard Hunt noted the sculpture’s design reflects the symbolic nature of freedom as well as kept with an improvisational representation of Kansas City’s jazz. In 1989, a cultural center was built to honor the legacy of Bruce R. Watkins. The mission of Bruce R. Watkins Cultural Heritage Center is “to commemorate and interpret the African-American diaspora through fostering educational and cultural programs regarding the past, present and contemporary contributions of African Americans who served to shape the city and state’s history and culture.” Located across Brush Creek from the Spirit of Freedom Fountain, the Cultural Center offers a replicated display of Councilman Watkins’ desk, a gallery with a pictorial history of Freedom, Incorporated, rotating artistic and educational exhibits, an auditorium for public programs, and the Gertrude Keith Resource Library.

Dedicated in 1981, the Spirit of Freedom Fountain was conceptualized by Kansas City Councilman Bruce R. Watkins. It honors the contributions of and impact by the civil rights organization Freedom, Incorporated which was co-founded by Watkins in 1962 and continues to foster economic development and impact public policy for the African American community. Designed by Chicago artist and civil rights activist Richard Hunt, the 5,000 pound, abstract bronze sculpture symbolizes the ideal of freedom and acts as a reminder of the advocacy and influence of Watkins and Freedom, Incorporated. The sculpture rests on a pyramid-like base where water flows down into an elliptical shaped basin.

The Spirit of Freedom Fountain was dedicated on September 13, 1981.

Spirit of Freedom Fountain

Swope Park to Emanuel Cleaver II Boulevard 

The Loose Park Wall Fountains were created as a product of a competition sponsored by the Works Progress Administration in 1941. Established in 1935, the WPA was the largest program developed under President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal. The program was designed as a social welfare and work program to mitigate the rising unemployment numbers caused by the Great Depression by safeguarding Americans’ skills and stimulating the economy. After the start of World War II, unemployment became virtually nonexistent and the WPA was terminated in 1943. In its eight years of operation, the program employed 8.5 million Americans. One of the five WPA program projects called the Federal Arts Project employed artists, writers, and actors which helped museums flourish, improved cultural programs, and created artwork for public spaces. In 1941 a competition was held to design a fountain for Loose Park and Jeanette Klein was awarded the commission. She sculpted larger-than-life clay figures of a man and woman kneeling, which were inset into a semi-circular alcove in the back wall of a service building near the Garden Center. Each figure holds a bowl as water trickles down to a small basin. The fountains were dedicated in Spring of 1942 during the Kansas City Rose Society’s annual Rose Day celebration at the Laura Conyers Smith Municipal Rose Garden. To improve durability, the clay sculptures were replaced with concrete and marble aggregate figures of the same form in 1946. It is unclear if Klein named the work of art, but the figures have become known as “Adam and Eve” or “Lady and Gent.” Artist Jeanette Klein (1896 – 1980) was a Polish immigrant and moved to Kansas City in the early 1900s. Before teaching years later, Klein studied at the Kansas City Art Institute under William Wallace Rosenbauer, sculptor and exhibitionist who donated the Rose Garden’s lily pool’s sculpture in 1939. Klein worked with a variety of mediums but is most known for sculpting and has been featured in Life Magazine.

Commonly known as “Adam and Eve,” the Loose Park Wall Fountains were dedicated in 1942 during the annual Rose Day celebration. After winning a competition held by the New Deal program Works Progress Administration, sculptor Jeanette Klein created two, large clay figures of a man and woman which were inset into the back wall of a service building near the Loose Park Rose Garden. The figures were replaced a few years later with concrete and marble aggregate sculptures using the original forms.

The Loose Park Wall Fountains were installed on the back wall of a service building for the park and dedicated in 1942.

Loose Park Wall Fountains (Adam and Eve)

The municipal rose garden in Loose Park was established in 1931 by the Kansas City Rose Society, led by Laura Conyers Smith. The 1.5 acre, circular garden was designed by landscape architects Hare &amp; Hare as part of the park's beautification plan and contained 120 rose plants. Today, there are nearly 3,000 roses of nearly 130 varieties. The garden also contains stone trellises, which were originally made of iron but replaced in 1940, and pergolas featuring commemorative plaques. In 1989, Laura Conyers Smith Municipal Rose Garden was afforded the highest national honor by the American Rose Society, the Bronze Achievement Award.As a native to Oregon near Portland, the City of Roses, Laura Conyers Smith grew up with an appreciation and fascination for roses. After becoming a member of the American Rose Society and inheriting a rose garden in 1929, Mrs. Smith researched how to properly care for the plants. She would invite friends for a cup of tea and listen to a series of radio shows put on by the ARS; it was during the last show that municipal rose gardens were discussed and the idea to create one in Kansas City was considered. The following week, on May 9, 1931, the Kansas City Rose Society was formed. A month later on June 7, the first unit of the rose garden at Loose Park was dedicated. It was officially named the Laura Conyers Smith Municipal Rose Garden in 1965.The first water feature in the circular garden was a small lily pool donated by the Kansas City Garden Club in 1936. Three years later, a friend of Smith donated “The Spirit of the Rose Garden,” a female figure sculpted by Kansas City Art Institute instructor W. Wallace Rosenbauer. The statue was placed in the middle of the pool with sprays of water at her feet and remained in place until the early 1950s. A modern fountain made with vertical steel poles that sprayed water, representing blossoming flowers, was donated by the Oscar D. and Florence L. Nelson Fund and dedicated in 1980. The Rose Society proposed raising funds for a new fountain and restoration of the grounds at the turn of the century. Dedicated in 2002, the Year of the Rose, the classic bowl style fountain was designed by Bowman Bowman Novick, Inc. and is made of buff-colored stone from Vincenza, Italy. The renovation of the pool along with new sidewalks and lights were also done at the time. The restoration of the garden's features, however, wasn’t completed until 2014. In 2018, the garden was awarded the Garden of Excellence by the World Federation of Rose Societies.In partnership with the Parks Department, Kansas City Rose Society continues to sponsor and maintain the garden. Rose Day and a Rose Show are held annually by the KCRS, typically on the first Sunday in June.

Established in 1931 by the Kansas City Rose Society, the award winning Laura Conyers Smith Municipal Rose Garden and Fountain are located at the northwest side of Loose Park. The garden was created as part of the park’s beautification plan but not officially named for its founder until 1965. It features a circular pattern of nearly 3,000 rose bushes, walking paths, pergolas, rose covered archways, benches, and an Italian stone fountain central to the garden. The Laura Conyers Smith Municipal Rose Garden offers educational opportunities, sponsors events, and continues to be a popular, tranquil destination for residents and visitors alike.

Laura Conyers Smith Municipal Rose Garden and Fountain.

Laura Conyers Smith Municipal Rose Garden and Fountain

Ward Parkway was designed by premier landscape architect George Kessler in 1913 as part of the Kansas City Parks and Boulevard System. It follows the natural path of the landscape, starting at Mill Creek Parkway in the Country Club Plaza shopping district, then curving west-southwest and travels south to around 92nd Street before making a final curve and ending at Wornall Road. The 12-mile stretch of parkway features a wide median full of landscaped green space, fountains, and statuary, and is lined with historic properties. In 2012, Ward Parkway was designated as one of ten ‘Great Streets’ by the American Planning Association for exemplifying exceptional character. A plaque at the north end of the pool commemorates the designation. The City Beautiful Movement was a major aspect in the implementation of the Parks and Boulevards System as it transformed the landscape along the major thoroughfares. The first water feature to be installed along Ward Parkway was a reflection pool designed by notable architect Edward Buehler Delk. Taking up nearly an entire block in the median between W 61st Terrace and W 62nd Street, this pool was occasionally used for ice skating and miniature boat races. In 1965 the pool was renovated, including the addition of three water spray rings. The rings were placed centrally within the pool, giving symmetry to the large fountain. George Kessler (1862-1923) was born in Germany and moved to the United States with his family in 1978. He returned to Europe to study landscape architecture and civil engineering before coming back to the states in 1882. He was first hired by the Fort Scott and Gulf Railway Company to design and supervise the construction of Merriam Park in Kansas. He then opened an office across the state line, in Kansas City, Missouri, and sought out other work. In 1887, he was commissioned for the development of Hyde Park, located in the largest planned single-family home development at the time. He transformed the rugged, overgrown limestone hollow into a beautiful park. In the years to come, Kessler began advocating for city improvements and in 1892, the Kansas City Parks Board was created. The following year Kessler performed an assessment on the city’s topography and with board president August Meyer, developed the Parks and Boulevard System - the most notable accomplishment of his career. His work can also be seen in Saint Louis, Dallas, Denver, Memphis, and Indianapolis. Kessler was also the landscape architect chosen for the Liberty Memorial, but passed away before it was completed.  Edward Buehler Delk (1885-1956) first came to Kansas City in 1920 when J.C. Nichols commissioned him as a consulting architect for the Country Club Plaza, the first shopping center in the country designed for the automobile. He designed many of the first buildings in the shopping center, including the Sudyam Building (now Mill Creek Building) and the Tower Building. Throughout his career he designed commercial buildings, churches, and private residences primarily in Missouri and Oklahoma. Some of his notable work includes the Starlight Theatre (Kansas City, 1951), LaQuinta mansion (Bartlesville, OK, 1932), and Community Christian Church (Kansas City, MO, 1950) which he took over from Frank Lloyd Wright. In addition, he designed Villa Phillbrook, the residence of co-founder of Phillips Petroleum Waite Phillips, (now the Philbrook Museum of Art, Tulsa, OK, 1927) and the Philtower Building (Tulsa, OK, 1928) which have been accepted to the National Register of Historic Places.

Designed in 1924 by architect Edward Buehler Delk, this fountain was originally created as a reflection pool and was the first water feature along Ward Parkway. The three water rings were installed in 1965. The nearly one block long pool is located in the median of Ward Parkway, one of the first major thoroughfares created in Kansas City as part of the Parks and Boulevards System. The parkway was created in correlation with the development of J.C. Nichols’ Country Club Plaza district and other neighborhoods in plans to expand the suburbs southward. It features an array of beautiful landscaping and ornate statuary that landed it as one of ten “Great Streets” in 2012 by the American Planning Association.

Ward Parkway Mirror Pool Fountain

In the early 1920s, during a trip to Italy, real estate developer J.C. Nichols purchased the Carrara marble sea horse sculpture that now adorns this traffic circle fountain. Prior to its move to Kansas City, it had been located in Venice for three centuries. The acquisition reflects the ambition of Nichols for the suburban neighborhoods along Ward Parkway, as well as the continued emphasis on developing parkways throughout Kansas City during this era.Kansas City’s Parks and Boulevards System was built through the early 1900s. As the city limits expanded south. Nichols was buying land and developing suburban neighborhoods. He proposed extending Ward Parkway, and once the thoroughfare was completed to Meyer Boulevard, Nichols donated the sculpture and hired the prominent architect Edward Buehler Delk to incorporate it into the traffic circle's fountain.Delk designed the iconic fountain featuring the mythological sea horses. Commonly referred to as hippocampus in Greek mythology, these sea horses feature the head of a horse (‘hippos’), the tail of a serpent (‘kampos’ meaning ‘sea monster’), the body of a fish, webbed feet, and a set of wings, which are thought to have made them swim faster. Hippocampi were often ridden by other sea creatures and associated with the Greek god of the sea, Poseidon, as they pulled his chariot. The grand sea horse sculpture is centered in the middle of an 80-foot, circular limestone pool, resting on a triangular stone pyramid. The fountain features two fluted saucers with carved lion heads and three cherubs that hold up the smaller saucer, which is topped by another cherub holding a fish. Water spouts out of the mouth of each sea horse and lion. Due to vandalism in the early 1960s, the Park Board had to replace the top figure, originally a child riding a dolphin. By 1991, the marble fountain had deteriorated, so it was removed and replaced with a sandstone replica the following year. The lighting was also improved at that time, including the addition of fiber optics. The fountain became inoperable in 2015 after flooding in the electrical vault, in which the electrical system, pump room, and the vault itself needed to be replaced. Funding from the City of Fountains Foundation and a successful $600,000 bi-state fundraising effort led by retired businessman David Fowler made the restoration possible. The remaining funds from the effort created an endowment for the fountain for future maintenance and repairs. After sitting dry for two years, the fountain was re-dedicated on October 25, 2017. The namesake of Meyer Boulevard, August Meyer (1851-1905) was the president of Kansas City’s first board of parks commissioners. He was born in St. Louis, Missouri but at the age of 14 was sent by his German parents to study abroad. He studied mining engineering in Zurich, Switzerland, graduated from the School of Mines in Freiburg, Germany in 1872, and later studied further in Berlin, Germany. By 1874 he moved back to the states. He landed in Colorado working at a government assaying post before becoming senior partner at A. R. Meyer and Company. He operated an ore-crushing mill and founded a smelting company, becoming president of the Meyer Mining Company. In 1881 as Kansas City became a major rail hub and industry was booming, Meyer moved his headquarters and purchased a small smelting plant which was later reincorporated as the United States Zinc and Chemical Company. When Kansas City’s first Park Board was established in 1892, Meyer was appointed President due to his experience in engineering and travels in Europe. Under Meyer’s leadership, the Parks and Boulevards System was created, and many of the main features of that system continue to shape the city today. Ward Parkway was designed by premier landscape architect George Kessler in 1913 as part of the Parks and Boulevard System. Kansas City built numerous parks and landscapes in the late 19th and early 20th century, an effort that reflected the City Beautiful Movement, where leading American cities invested in public parks, civic buildings, and landscapes along their major thoroughfares. Ward Parkway follows the natural path of the terrain, starting at the east end of the Country Club Plaza shopping district, then curving west-southwest and traveling south to around 92nd Street before making a final curve and ending at Wornall Road. The 12-mile stretch of parkway features a wide median full of landscaped green space, fountains, and statuary lined with historic properties. In 2012, the American Planning Association designated Ward Parkway as one of ten ‘Great Streets’ for exemplifying exceptional character.The parkway is named in honor of Seth Ward (1820-1903), who made his initial fortune as a merchant along the frontier trails of the America West before investing in real estate. In 1871, he purchased 212 acres of property near the Kansas-Missouri border just south of Westport. Years later, he purchased another 180 acres. As the Parks and Boulevard System was being built, real estate developer J.C. Nichols purchased Ward's property and other parcels to the south and developed residential neighborhoods, including the Country Club District. The Nichols Investment Company and Hugh Ward, son of Seth Ward, proposed the extension of the parkway as the city’s southern boundary reached 79th Street. They also acquired additional land and donated it to the city for the expansion. Named in Seth Ward’s honor for his contributions to the city's economy, Ward Parkway was one of the first major parkways in the system and connected to other major thoroughfares.Today, the neighborhoods surrounding the fountain are known for their beauty, but also the restrictive covenants Nichols included in deeds that prevented African American and Jewish families from purchasing or renting property. Banks followed suit with similar lending practices that limited the diversity of suburban Kansas City in ways that mirrored residential segregation in hundreds of other communities. Following the 1948 Supreme Court case Shelley v. Kraemer, restrictive covenants have been legally unenforceable, yet the demographic patterns of these and many other suburban neighborhoods remain similar to the early 20th century.

Dedicated in 1925, the Meyer Circle Sea Horse Fountain is one of Kansas City’s most iconic landmarks. Architect Edward Buehler Delk designed the fountain, which originally featured a 17th-century sea horse sculpture from Venice that was purchased by real estate developer J.C. Nichols during one of his trips to Europe. Nichols donated the statuary to the city to adorn the large traffic circle as the construction of Ward Parkway moved south alongside some of the residential neighborhoods his company was building in that era. The 30-foot marble fountain piece was later replaced with a sandstone replica in 1992. The fountain was deemed inoperable in 2015, area residents donated hundreds of thousands of dollars for needed repairs and the fountain was rededicated in October 2017.

The fountain is located at the intersection of one of Kansas City’s most historically significant streets and sees nearly 40,000 automobiles daily.

Meyer Circle Sea Horse Fountain

Ward Parkway was constructed in 1913 as one of the first major thoroughfares designed by George Kessler as part of the Parks and Boulevards System. These routes were constructed following the natural, stony terrain of the city, and landscaping and statuary were a significant part of the movement. In 1923, the land surrounding Ward Parkway from 67th to 71st Street was acquired by the J.C. Nichols Company for planned residential development. It remained vacant for some time but was developed in the following decade into the Romanelli Gardens neighborhood, with the subdivisions known today as Armour Fields (to the east) and Romanelli West (to the west). Located in the median of Ward Parkway, the sunken garden was constructed of shallow stone walls to both the north and south of a central pool. The original design featured lion figures placed at the north end and antique stone baskets imported from Budapest at the south, with steps on each side leading down to a courtyard surrounding the pool. Though the walls are still visible, trees and shrubbery have since been planted, concealing them into the landscape. In the center of the 16-foot by 36-foot rectangular, stone pool, the original water feature installed in 1930 was a fluted pedestal fountain containing two saucers and a slender figure of a girl playing a double flute. Due to vandalism, that fountain was later replaced with a single, scalloped bowl being lifted up and supported by a child, with a single jet spraying from its center. Sometime in the late 1900s it was replaced again with the present, two-tiered pedestal fountain with the cherub-faced basin. The Romany Road Fountain is one of the few remaining Kansas City fountains that are non-recirculating, draining directly into the sewer. Because of this primitive draining system, in early 2022 the city elected to turn off this fountain, and others alike, in an effort to conserve water.

Installed in 1930, this shallow pool and fountain were the centerpiece of a sunken garden constructed to enhance the newly built neighborhoods surrounding Ward Parkway. While the stone pool exists in its original form, the fountain has been replaced multiple times due to vandalism. The present is a two-tiered pedestal fountain. A single jet spouts from the summit of the upper bowl while the perimeter of the lower bowl contains the faces of four cherubs in which water streams from their mouths. To the north and the south of the pool, the shallow stone walls of the sunken garden are still visible, though much of them are concealed by trees and shrubbery.

Romany Road Fountain

The 49/63 Neighborhood Coalition was founded in 1971 by area residents and community activists from churches, businesses, Rockhurst University and UMKC to “combat white-flight, block-busting, and segregation.” The coalition supports multiple neighborhoods with the boundaries from 49th Street to 63rd Street between Oak Street and The Paseo, serving 8,000 residents in over 3,000 households and hundreds of businesses. It is the oldest, continuously active neighborhood association in Kansas City and the only neighborhood association with residents on both sides of Troost Avenue, a historical racial dividing line since white-flight following the decision of Brown vs. Board of Education. Their mission is to “support our neighborhoods by providing information to educate, resources to empower, and infrastructure to connect.” Artist Will Nettleship first worked with the 49/63 Neighborhood Coalition in 1982 on a set of three, nine-foot abstract sculptures which served as boundary markers. As part of a renovation project the following year, the coalition commissioned Nettleship for a fountain in their community gathering place. They requested a low maintenance water feature with a family-friendly walking path and a place to rest. Nettleship created a brick fountain inset into a low-profile mound of shaped concrete based on geological forms. The scale and layout of the 105-foot concrete sculpture creates a kinesthetic experience as it offers a place to walk and sit while listening to the babbling fountain, as water trickles down zigzag patterns of raised brick into an underground chamber. Originally named the Lydia Street Fountain, the project was completed in 1985. Three years later, residents petitioned for more seating, so the 49/63 Coalition raised the money to commission Nettleship once again. He designed three smaller, outlying sculptures using the same dimensions and angles of the original sculpture, measuring 15 feet, 20 feet, and 25 feet long, and placed them under the trees. Throughout his career, Nettleship has been commissioned for public works of art as well as held artist residencies and exhibitions, served on design teams such as Blue Valley Park and KCMO Park System, taught at the college level, and written on sculpture and public art. He lived many years of his childhood in the National Parks and uses landscape designs to invoke the natural movement and energy from within the earth. He believes that public art in communities can serve a social purpose, using both functional and aesthetic aspects.

Proposed by the 49/63 Neighborhood Coalition, this low-profile brick fountain and large concrete sculpture were completed in 1985 for use as a community gathering place. Created by artist Will Nettleship, the sculpture was inspired by geological shapes and its low-profile design is functional for a family-friendly walking path and resting place. Visitors to the fountain encounter a sensory experience through the natural movement of the sculptures while listening to the trickling water. With a need for more seating, Nettleship created three smaller concrete sculptures a few years later, which were placed under the trees in the surrounding green space.

49/63 Neighborhood Fountain

Loose Park to Swope Park

Mill Creek Park fountain (formerly J. C. Nichols Memorial Fountain) was designed in 1910 in France by sculptor Henri-Léon Gréber for New York millionaire Clarence H. Mackay. The cast bronze fountain features four heroic horsemen representing the world’s four mightiest rivers: the Mississippi, Volga, Seine, and Rhine. Surrounding the horsemen are four smaller figures of children playing on fish, a common feature in fountain design at that time. Clarence H. Mackay (1874-1938) was a key figure in the development of the international telegraph and heir to his father's empire which was built from profits mining silver. Mackay completed the three-story, 80,000 square foot Renaissance-style chateau, Harbor Hill, in 1902. Resting along Long Island’s Gold Coast, Harbor Hill cost more than $781 million and was the site of lavish parties, including a celebration of aviator Charles Lindbergh after his transatlantic flight in 1927. Mackay had collections of fine art and Renaissance-era armor and held back no expense in landscaping his marvelous estate. In 1910, Mackay commissioned Gréber and Harbor Hill became home to the fountain, centered amongst the mansion's grandiose garden. It is thought that this mansion gave rise to the famous novel, The Great Gatsby. Mackay fell victim to the Wall Street crash in 1929 and was forced to sell his collections. Following his passing, the bank foreclosed on the estate in 1940 and the remnants of the property were subject to vandalism before the demolition of the mansion in 1947.The equestrian fountain outside the former mansion was purchased with contributions from the Nichols family, the city, and fundraising efforts which raised over $50,000 in private donations. Mackay’s fountain was brought to Kansas City in 1951 by Miller Nichols, son of real estate and Country Club Plaza developer J. C. Nichols. Due to its condition, the fountain needed to be refurbished. Artist Herman Frederick Simon was hired and, in addition, created a replica of one of the fish figures, which had been missing prior to the purchase. Resting on the east side of the Country Club Plaza in Mill Creek Park, the fountain was installed and dedicated to J. C. Nichols in 1960. The Nichols family endowed the fountain to the City of Kansas City, now one of 48 city-owned fountains. Miller Nichols Charitable Foundation funded a large portion of the renovation of J. C. Nichols fountain in 2014, which included removing the sculptures and equipment for cleaning and replacing in some cases. An unexpected piece was also replaced after a New York family treasure was discovered in 2008. The Singer family had purchased a small statue of children playing on a fish from the Mackay estate in 1947, without ever knowing the fate of the others. The “fourth fish” was then purchased by the City of Kansas City in 2010 and replaced the replica in the 2014 renovation. The replica now rests nearby on a concrete pedestal accompanied by a plaque describing its history. Due to increased awareness of J. C. Nichols' connection to restrictive covenants that barred African Americans and Jewish residents from buying or renting property, and after months of debate from community leaders, the Board of Parks and Recreation voted unanimously on June 30, 2020, to rename the fountain. With the support of the Nichols family, the fountain and nearby parkway now bears the name Mill Creek. One can see the fountains running from Fountain Day, the second Tuesday in April when all of the City fountains are brought back life through October.

Mill Creek Park fountain (formerly known as the J. C. Nichols Memorial Fountain) was brought from New York to Kansas City in 1951 by the Nichols family and is now one of the 48 city-owned fountains. The ornate fountain was designed and cast in France in 1910 for New York financier and telegraph mogul Clarence Mackay who was also a leading collector of fine art and Renaissance armor. The cast bronze fountain features four horsemen, representing the world’s four mightiest rivers, surrounded by four smaller sculptures of children playing on fish. One of these small fish sculptures had been sold prior to the demolition of Mackay's estate in 1947, so a replica of the fish was commissioned so that the fountain would match its original appearance when it arrived in Kansas City. The fountain was refurbished, installed, and dedicated to J. C. Nichols in 1960. The missing fish was eventually found and installed in a 2014 renovation. In recent years, city leaders have begun a process of recognizing the influence of J.C. Nichols in shaping the city in both positive and negative ways, including his use of racially restrictive covenants to bar African American and Jewish residents from his residential and commercial developments. In an effort to show that Kansas City parks are open to all, city leaders voted unanimously to rename the fountain on June 30, 2020.

Mill Creek Park fountain rests on the Northeast side of the Country Club Plaza in Mill Creek Park

Mill Creek Park Fountain

In 1967, Miller Nichols, son of Plaza developer J. C. Nichols commissioned New York sculptor Bernhard Zuckerman to build an exact replica of the fountain at the entrance of La Plaza de la Virgen de los Reyes (the Plaza of the Virgin of the Kings) in Seville, Spain. The Seville Light Fountain is one of many examples throughout the Country Club Plaza that reflects the direct design inspiration from Seville. The addition of this fountain and the adjacent tower in the late 1960s was intended to expand the Country Club Plaza within the original architectural design.Prior to its installation, the Municipal Arts Commission had concerns that the fountain might potentially diminish the Plazas effect. In a tight vote of 4-3, and with the stipulation that Nichols would pay the $32,000 for its installation on city property, the Commission approved the location. The fountain was gifted to the city from Nichols in addition to its companion structure the Giralda Tower, which greets visitors on the Plazas Northeast entrance. Both pieces were dedicated on October 12, 1967 as part of a ceremony honoring a new relationship between Kansas City and Seville as Sister Cities. La Fuente Farola, the original fountain-lamppost in Seville, was commissioned in 1928 as part of a public space reform program which expanded the Plaza de la Virgen de los Reyes district. The entrance to Mateos Gago Street, which leads to the iconic La Giralda bell tower, was remodeled, widened and included additions of a fountain and street lamps, creating the public square known today. The Seville Light Fountain on the Country Club Plaza is a replica of la Fuente Farola, sculpted from a variety of white and red marbles and features an iron lamppost on top. The central shaft stands 30 feet tall with a 6 foot square base, surrounded by a reflection pool that is 20 feet wide and two feet deep. Water flows into scalloped basins from the four Roman grotesque masks on each side, carved from white Ravaccione marble from Carrara, Italy. The fountain was in disrepair for years after the vault beneath collapsed due to a flood in 2006, causing damage to the piping and electrical panels. As part of the 2014 renovation made possible by the City of Fountains Foundation’s campaign Wish Upon a Fountain, new plumbing and electrical systems were installed. In addition, repairs were made to the structure as well as the pavement and sidewalks surrounding the fountain. Seville Light Fountain still flows and remains as one of the Country Club Plazas iconic landmarks.

Dedicated on October 12, 1967, this Kansas City fountain was a gift to the City of Fountains by Miller Nichols, son of Country Club Plaza developer J. C. Nichols. The fountain was created as a companion structure to the nearby Giralda Tower which was recently completed and also dedicated to honor the new relationship between Kansas City and Seville, Spain as Sister Cities. The fountain is an exact replica of la Fuente Farola, a fountain-lamppost in Seville's famous public district la Plaza de la Virgen de los Reyes. Seville's La Giralda bell tower, the structure upon which Kansas City's Giralda Tower was modeled, is also located in this square. The fountain was carved from a variety of red and white marble, stands thirty feet tall, and features an iron lamppost on top. Water flows from the central base out through four Roman grotesque masks into scalloped basins before reaching its surrounding 20-foot reflection pool. It is one of many examples throughout the Plaza that encapsulates its Spanish inspiration.

The Seville Light Fountain in front of its companion the Giralda Tower

Seville Light Fountain

The Fountain of Bacchus, historically known as the Pan and the Nymphs Fountain, was designed in the mid 1910s by Walter Gilbert, founder of the Bromsgrove Guild of Warwickshire, England. The lead sculpture is massive in size, standing 13 feet tall and 14 feet long and weighs nearly ten thousand pounds. The main, center figure depicts the Greek God Pan, some dispute it is Roman God Bacchus, looking down on nymphs as they court him in the garden while entwined in grapevines, offering shells, flowers and pine branches. Gilbert describes the statue as: <blockquote>“Pan the great god of the countryside (the atmosphere) being courted by the Nymphs of the Gardens, the Orchards, the Streams and the Woods. Pan looks down rather cynically because he knows that the nymphs do not always fulfil their promises. The gardens do not always flower, the streams run dry, the orchards bear no fruits and the trees without shade” </blockquote>Walter Gilbert (1871-1946), born in Rugby, Warwickshire, was a sculptor, metalworker, designer, teacher and writer. He studied and taught throughout Europe for many years and founded the Bromsgrove Guild in 1898. In the early 1900s he partnered with sculptor and metalworker Louis Weingartner, creating the famous gates at Buckingham Palace and the Victoria Memorial, in addition to the Pan and the Nymphs Fountain.Gilbert originally designed the statue for the Moreton Paddox estate of British Major Robert Emmet (1871-1955). Emmet was born in Charlottesville, Virginia and studied at Harvard before marrying his wife Louise Garland in 1896. They moved to England in 1904 and built a Jacobethan home in Warwickshire, England, known as the Moreton Paddox, in 1909. With the onset of World War I, Emmet renounced his American citizenship to enlist as a British soldier. Emmet gave his home to the government and, using his own funds, converted it into a convalescent hospital. He served for many years and earned a Distinguished Service Order before returning home in 1919. The Pan and the Nymphs statue was created and installed in the grand gardens as the center of a fountain. Moreton Paddox was demolished in 1959.In 1960, the massive lead artwork was purchased and brought to Kansas City by Miller Nichols, son of real estate and Country Club Plaza developer J. C. Nichols and European art enthusiast. Because of its size, it was stored in several pieces for many years before being installed and dedicated to the Country Club Plaza in 1967. Pan and his nymphs are the centerpiece in the fountain's quatrefoil-shaped base, which also features a circular water ring on each side and a line of bubblers in the front and back. Bromsgrove Guild also designed other works seen on the Plaza, including Neptune Fountain and Diana Fountain.

The Fountain of Bacchus, historically known as the Pan and the Nymphs Fountain, depicts the ancient God surrounded by nymphs courting him in the garden. Weighing in at nearly five tons and standing 13 feet tall, the lead sculpture is centered in the fountain’s quatrefoil-shaped base with circular and bubbling water features surrounding it. The large work of art was designed by Walter Gilbert, founder of Bromsgrove Guild of Warwickshire, England in the mid 1910s for Moreton Paddox, the home of British Major Robert Emmet. It was purchased in 1960 by Miller Nichols but, due to its size, was stored in several pieces for many years. It was installed and dedicated to the Country Club Plaza in 1967.

Fountain of Bacchus on the Country Club Plaza

Fountain of Bacchus (Pan and the Nymphs Fountain)

The Neptune Fountain was sculpted in 1911 by the Bromsgrove Guild of Applied Arts, which is located in Worchester, England. It depicts Neptune, the Roman god of the sea, holding his signature trident and riding in a chariot pulled by three horses. He is generally pictured like this and has a strong association with horse races as a result. Neptune is the brother of Jupiter, the king of the gods, and Pluto, the god of the Underworld. He was the Roman equivalent to Poseidon, the Greek god of the sea. The fountain is made entirely of lead and is said to weight approximately 8,000 pounds.The fountain was produced for Alba Boardman Johnson to put at his estate in Pennsylvania. Johnson was the president of Baldwin Locomotive Company from 1911 until his death in 1935. Baldwin Locomotive Co. was founded by Matthias Baldwin in the 1830s. During the railroad boom in American history, it was one of the top three companies in the industry, alongside the American Locomotive Company (ALCO) and the Lima Locomotive Works until its decline and exit from the market in 1956. Johnson began working for a firm connected to the company, the Burnham, Parry, Williams and Co. directly out of high school as a junior clerk. He left after only a year to find other work, but he returned to work there approximately two years later. He began to climb in rank, eventually joining in a partnership with the company. On July 1, 1909, the company Johnson worked for was integrated into the Baldwin Locomotive Company, and Johnson was elected as the vice president and treasurer. Two years later, he was elected to be the company’s president. This was the same year he ordered the fountain.After Johnson's death in 1935, his estate was unable to find a buyer for the fountain and as a result, it was discarded. Years later, a salvage team discovered the fountain in an old railroad car. Learning of this discovery, businessman Miller Nichols purchased the fountain for its weight in scrap metal. Miller was the son of real estate developer and civic leader Jesse Clyde (J.C.) Nichols. The Nichols Company redeveloped swaths of Kansas City and created the Country Club Plaza district. After J.C.'s death in 1950, Miller ran the family business for nearly four decades. During this period, he placed many fountains in Kansas City, including the Neptune Fountain. He installed it in the Country Club Plaza in 1953.

The Neptune Fountain on the Plaza was brought to Kansas City in 1953 by Miller Nichols, son of Country Club Plaza developer J.C. Nichols. The fountain depicts Neptune, the Roman god of the sea, riding in a horse-drawn chariot. It was originally located on the Pennsylvania estate belonging to Alba B. Johnson, president of the Baldwin Locomotive Company from 1911 to 1935. Years after Johnson's death, the fountain was salvaged and purchased for it's weight in scrap metal by Nichols and set at this location on the Country Club Plaza in Kansas City.

Neptune was also known as Neptunus Equester. Because of his association with horses and horse-racing, the word "equestrian" was derived from his name.

Neptune Fountain

This whimsical fountain features bronze figures of a boy and a frog in an orange veined marble basin. The nude boy holds his hands up in delight as he frolics in a spout of water that shoots from the frog's mouth. The marble basin is held up by a bronze faun sitting on top of a dolphin, with a rather mischievous look on his face. The fountain overflows into a round pool with pieces of colorful tile inlaid in the bottom. The artwork was purchased from Romanelli Studios in Florence, Italy in 1928 by John C. Taylor, who was the Chairman of the Board for the J.C. Nichols Company. It was installed on the Plaza at 47th and Central Street in 1929, but was relocated to its current location years later. It also appears that the frog has been replaced, as the position of its legs differ from historical photos. Artist Raffaello Romanelli was born in Florence, Italy on May 13, 1856. At a young age, Raffaello acquired skills in drafting at his fathers studio, and at age 14 enrolled himself into the Academy of Fine Art. While studying, he continued to work with his father and learned the skill of sculpting marble. At age 20, he won the Academy’s annual prize in sculpture for a bas-relief, leading to a scholarship in Rome. When his father passed away in 1887, he took over the family studio, completed his fathers unfinished work and started creating marble portraits of distinguished individuals. By 1890, Romanelli reached international fame and started receiving commissions for grand monuments around the world. Throughout the years, he also created smaller works of various subjects, including religious figures, allegory, and animals. It is thought that he created more than 2300 works throughout his career. Raffaello died in 1928, passing on the studio to his son. Country Club Plaza developer J.C. Nichols was so much an admirer of Romanelli, that he named one of his 1925 residential developments south of the Plaza in his honor - Romanelli Gardens. The neighborhood features an array of statues and fountains.

The Boy and Frog Fountain is an original piece crafted by Italian artist Raffaello Romanelli (1856-1928). It was purchased by John C. Taylor from Romanelli Studios in Florence, Italy in 1928. This whimsical fountain features a small marble basin with bronze figures of a frog shooting water at a nude boy. The basin is held up by a faun atop a dolphin and overflows into a round pool inlaid with pieces of colorful tile. It was installed on the Plaza in 1929 but has since been relocated from its original location.

Boy and Frog Fountain by Raffaello Romanelli

Boy and Frog Fountain

In July 1962, the Allen Memorial Fountain was dedicated in memory of Eleanor Nichols Allen and Earl Wilson Allen who tragically died in a fire at their home in Mission Hills, Kansas on February 28, 1961. Eleanor (1909-1961) was the daughter of Country Club Plaza developer Jesse Clyde “J.C.” and his wife Jessie Eleanor Nichols. In the early 1920s Eleanor worked for the Nichols company and helped organize the Plaza Merchants Association, which oversaw the tenants of the Country Club Plaza and planned events to increase foot traffic. Earl (1907-1961) also worked for the Nichols Company as an architect. They wed in 1936 and were survived by their two daughters, Susanne Eleanor and Mary Louise. The bronze fountain was imported from Italy and sculpted by artist S. Gemignani of Florence, according to the plaque nearby. It features a woman bathing while seated on a marble pedestal. A young child stands on a small turtle below, looking up toward her as water from her cloth trickles onto his chest. A mother duck and her ducklings stand on the edge of the quatrefoil pool as water sprays from their mouths toward the center. The collective impression is a sweet sentiment and tribute to motherhood.

Allen Memorial Fountain was named in memory of the daughter and son-in-law of J.C. Nichols, Eleanor and Earl Allen who tragically died in a house fire on February 28, 1961. Both Eleanor and Earl worked for the Nichols company at one time and contributed to the success of the Plaza. This sentimental fountain is a tribute to motherhood and was imported from Italy and gifted to the Plaza by the couples' families in July 1962.

A portrait of the Allen family; Eleanor (left), daughters Susanne and Mary (middle), and Earl (right). Courtesy of State Historical Society of Missouri.

Allen Memorial Fountain

The white marble mermaids featured in this large fountain were reportedly 300 years old when purchased in Italy by the J.C. Nichols Company. Originally installed on the Plaza in 1930, the mermaids were featured on the sides of a rectangular shaped pool, surrounded by landscaped trees and flowers. In 1968, the fountain was renovated and it’s current trefoil-shaped pool replaced the rectangular pool. The two mermaids are positioned resting on their side, each blowing into a conch shell as water streams from the shell toward the center of the pool. At the same time the pool was reconfigured, a circular water feature was added with a small bronze sculpture featured in the center of the ring. The sculpture is named “A Morning Prayer” as it depicts a child kneeling in prayer. A plaque at the front of the fountain states, ““A Morning Prayer” for the Children at Mercy Hospital. Say Yours and Toss a Coin”. The artist are unknown for both the mermaids and "A Morning Prayer".

The Mermaid Fountain was installed on the Plaza in 1930 after the J.C. Nichols Company purchased two 300 year old marble mermaids from Italy. The mermaids are situated at the outer edge of the fountain and blow into a conch shell as water streams from the shell into the center of the pool. The circular water feature and bronze figure were not added until 1968 when the pool was reshaped into its current trefoil design, replacing the original rectangular pool. “A Morning Prayer” is the bronze statue, which depicts a child kneeling in prayer, as a plaque suggests for patrons to “Say Yours and Toss a Coin” for the Children of Mercy Hospital.

Two white marble mermaids are the showpiece of this large fountain

Mermaid Fountain

The Diana Fountain is a bronze replica of the original lead sculpture Diana and the Loves created by Walter Gilbert, founder of Bromsgrove Guild of Warwickshire, England. The eight-foot wide sculpture depicts the Roman goddess Diana lying on the ground with her bow and arrows, surrounded by cherubs as they pursue her with flowers. As enthusiasts of European art, the Nichols Company commissioned New York artist Bernhard Zuckerman for the Diana replica as the centerpiece to a grand display at the entrance of the Alameda Plaza Hotel (now Intercontinental Hotel) when it opened in 1972. The bronze sits on a pedestal inside a round basin and backed by a large wall fountain, 17 feet tall and 56 feet wide, designed by Kansas City architecture firm Kivett &amp; Myer. Diana was the goddess of wild animals and the hunt, often seen accompanied by her bow and arrow or deer. She was eternally young and beautiful and a defender of her virginity, later becoming known as a goddess of the moon, as the moon was a symbol of chastity. Despite this, she was also worshiped by women seeking to conceive. She was also the guardian of children and patron to the slaves, especially those seeking asylum. The Diana Fountain encapsulates her mythological image and is described by her creator Walter Gilbert as: <blockquote>"Diana, the virgin goddess, exhausted by the chase, has fallen behind the fir tree (the emblem of chastity) and is imploring the water spouting from the tree to hide her from the Loves pursuing her and pelting her with flowers."</blockquote>Diana and the Loves was originally cast in 1912 for Moreton Hall in Warwickshire, England, the private residence of Charles Garland, son of the co-founder for the National City Bank in New York. It still rests at its original location, which is now the campus of Warwickshire College of Agriculture. These are the only two casts of the piece. Bromsgrove Guild of Warwickshire also created two other works of art seen on the plaza, the Fountain of Bacchus (also originally located on the Moreton estate) and Neptune Fountain.

The Diana Fountain is a bronze replica of the original 1912 lead sculpture Diana and the Loves, and are the only two casts of the piece. The Nichols Company commissioned New York artist Bernhard Zuckerman for the replica as the centerpiece of the grand entrance of the Alameda Plaza Hotel (now Intercontinental Hotel) for its opening in 1972. The eight-foot wide sculpture depicts the Roman goddess Diana resting on the ground, surrounded by cherubs as they pursue her with flowers. It is located in the center of a round reflection pool, backed by a 17 foot tall wall fountain.

The Diana Fountain is the centerpiece to a large wall fountain.

Diana Fountain

Brush Creek is a tributary of the Blue River and serves as a watershed for the Blue River Basin. The 10.5 mile creek begins in Johnson County, Kansas flowing north-northeast into Jackson County, Missouri and continues east before reaching the Blue River. Ironically, it was named for the foliage that once grew along its banks. The most prominent and well-known area of development around Brush Creek is at the site of the Country Club Plaza, developed by J.C. Nichols in the early 1920s. The history of the Brush Creek Basin dates back to 1864 during the Civil War, where the two-day Battle of Westport took place. At the time European settlers moved to the area in the late 1880s, it became the site of many industrial trades and farms as it was situated south of city limits. This area included a brickyard, a 20 foot deep swamp, a dump site, a stone quarry, a lumberyard, and a coal mine located to the east near the Blue River. By 1893, landscape architect and engineer George Kessler was hired to develop the Kansas City’s Parks and Boulevards System and was completed in 1915. The plan was designed with city development and expansion in mind, including the construction and paving of thoroughfares, integrated landscaping, and incentives for residential development. The land in the Brush Creek Basin was first acquired in the early 1900s for residential use by William Rockhill Nelson and J.C. Nichols. After developing several surrounding neighborhoods, Nichols acquired the plat of land where he would build the Country Club District. Apart from residential homes, the plan for the district included a shopping center which became the Country Club Plaza and opened in 1923. By 1931, political boss Tom Pendergast put forward a ten-year plan intending to make Kansas City “the greatest inland city in America” by improving hospitals, roads and sewers, increasing job opportunities, and ensuring the development of buildings. Part of the ten-year plan included the widening and paving of Brush Creek to control flooding and in 1935, Pendergast’s owned Ready-Mixed Concrete Company was hired. Some backlash followed politically and environmentally, as the work done actually created a more conducive environment for flooding with decreased foliage and increased water speeds. A 1970 report from the U.S. Corps of Engineers cautioned that Brush Creek could reach flood levels within an hour of a heavy runoff event. The most devastating flood occurred in 1977 when 16 inches of rain fell on September 12 and into the night, cresting up to 6 feet high in some areas. The rushing water moved massive amounts of debris, swept cars away, and caused damage to streets, bridges, and structures; a broken gas main ignited, causing an explosion which started fires in buildings along 48th Street; and half of the businesses on the Country Club Plaza (77 of 155) were inundated. The flood resulted in over one million dollars worth of damage and tragically the deaths of 25 Kansas Citians. A state of emergency was declared and the city implemented an “80-day clean-up” effort. Plaza businesses began repairs and reopened in this time, however, hundreds of families to the east (downstream) remained in temporary housing for months following. Councilman Bruce R. Watkins led an effort for property owners to call out the “unevenness” of City Hall’s disaster response and [then] Councilman Emmanuel Cleaver II testified to Congress, which resulted in a proposal for flood control measures and a beautification plan. The “Cleaver Plan'' was introduced in the early 1980s which called to widen and deepen Brush Creek and to replace the low bridges which eliminated choke points of debris, finally passing in 1987. During the rebuilding phase, Plaza businesses transitioned from neighborhood shops to higher-end retailers and in 1991, the city partnered with the Corps of Engineers for the beautification project. Over the next several years, water pumps and three geyser-like fountains were installed to increase water circulation which helped to improve the water quality by reducing fecal coliform bacteria. At one time, the bacteria was 10-15 times higher than the maximum recommended levels, giving the waterway the nickname “Flush Creek.” After a 1998 flash flood that took the lives of 12 residents, a flood emergency management plan and team was created. In addition, the Plaza Riverwalk and a gondola were established, and the Sister Cities International Bridge replaced a smaller footbridge damaged by the flood. Most recently, a 25-year plan to improve sewage runoff and sanitation was introduced in a 2010 deal with the Environmental Protection Agency.<h3>Features along Brush Creek</h3><ul><li>Brush Creek Fountains (times of operation vary) - (1) near gondola dock at Wyandotte St; (2) at Baltimore Ave; (3) between Brookside Blvd and Oak St </li><li>Sister Cities International Bridge - Pedestrian bridge honoring the relationships between Kansas Cities twelve Sister Cities</li><li>Ambiance On the Water - Gondola rides - Generally runs from April to October by appointment </li><li>Plaza Riverwalk - 1 mile paved path from Roanoke to Rockhill (paved on both sides) - Trail extends further east to Blue Banks Park at the mouth of the Blue River  </li><li>Greenway Park - From Brookside Blvd east to the Blue River</li></ul>

Designed by International Architects Atelier, the three geysers that create the Brush Creek Fountains were installed just south of the Country Club Plaza as part of ongoing improvements to Brush Creek and a beautification project completed in 1996. Brush Creek is a 10-mile tributary to the Blue River which has served as a natural watershed for centuries. Originally a swamp and location of unsightly industry, this area of land in the Brush Creek Basin was purchased in the early 1900s and transformed into beautiful residential and commercial developments. The waterway was paved in 1935 by Tom Pendergast as part of a plan to make Kansas City “the greatest inland city in America,” not realizing the improvement created favorable conditions for flooding. Many floods occurred over the years, with the most devastating taking place in September 1977, resulting in 25 deaths and one hundred million dollars in damages. This urged Councilmen Cleaver and Watkins to take action, first introducing the “Cleaver Plan” in the early 80s. The plan initiated a flood emergency team, replaced bridges, and improved the water quality with the addition of pumps for circulation and the Brush Creek Fountains.

The Brush Creek Fountain geyser at Wyandotte Street, near the gondola dock.

Brush Creek Fountains

Born in Germany, William Volker moved with his family in 1871 to the United States at the onset of the war between France and Prussia, partially in hopes of protecting the twelve-year-old William from compulsory military service should the war continue. The family arrived in Chicago just days after the Great Fire. In 1876, While only seventeen years old, Volker took a job with a picture frame manufacturer. In 1882, while in his early 20s, Volker moved to Kansas City and used his small life savings as seed money to create the William Volker &amp; Company, a picture frame wholesaler. The company added home furnishings sales, expanded to branch offices in numerous large Western cities, and ultimately evolved into a multi-million dollar business.Volker used his millions and influence to become a thriving philanthropist and leader of social welfare. In an era known for great fortunes, Volker used his wealth and influence to spearhead the creation of the Board of Public Welfare in Kansas City. When the City Council approved the Board in 1910, it became the first nation's first modern welfare department. In an era of segregation, Volker supported African American community institutions such as hospitals and educational institutions, and he also created the city's research hospital.Volker believed that a great city deserved and needed a great university, and he took the lead in creating the then-private University of Kansas City (now the University of Missouri-Kansas City, or UMKC). Volker also led the creation of the Civic Research Institute, and purchased land for the Liberty Memorial. During his life, Volker was best known for donating money to those in need and it was common knowledge that one could call on Mr. Volker at his office or home to make a personal request if one needed help. Although his reputation for generosity spread throughout the city, Volker gained the nickname "Mr. Anonymous" because he asked that his benefactors keep his philanthropy private. Volker routinely donated large sums of money anonymously and was equally consistent in requesting that the parks, memorials, and institutions he helped create not include his name.St. Martin lived roughly around C.E 316 to C.E. 397, serving as a Roman Soldier in his younger days until a meeting with a shivering beggar led to his conversion into a Christian. Legend has it that upon seeing the beggar freezing, Martin cut his cloak in half and gave half to the cold beggar. And, the legend continues, he went to bed that night and dreamt that the beggar was Jesus Christ; the meeting and dream led to his Christian conversion. Although he initially remained a soldier, choosing to spread the Christian Gospel while still remaining loyal to Ceaser, he eventually resigned (341 C.E.) from the army. Martin eventually became Bishop of Tours in France. Martin now enjoys recognition as the patron saint of soldiers, beggars, and the nation of France, celebrated formally on Armistice Day, November 11. St. Martin is depicted in the sculpture as a young Roman soldier cutting his cloak to share with the frozen beggar while two angels witness the encounter. The memorial was dedicated in 1958, three years after the death of sculptor Carl Milles. The fountain is currently located south of Brush Creek, but there have been plans to move the fountain back to its original location north of the creek to give it greater visibility in the green space across from the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art. That space was part of William Rockhill Nelson's vast estate and is now home to Frank A. Theis Park.

Swedish sculptor Carl Milles designed this statue and fountain in 1955 to honor William Volker, an entrepreneur known for anonymous gifts to people in need along with leadership and generous financial support of civic projects which included the creation of the University of Missouri-Kansas City, building the city's Research Hospital, Liberty Memorial. The centerpiece of the sculpture is St. Martin of Tours, a young Roman soldier who converted to Christianity and went on to become the patron saint of soldiers. During his life, Volker was known as "Mr. Annonymous" for making thousands of small and confidential donations to citizens in need while also providing seed money to numerous charitable projects around the city. To represent Volker's generosity, the central figure in the fountain is giving away his coat. In the 1990s, the sculpture was moved to this location from Frank A. Theis Park south of the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art , where it had been originally dedicated in 1958. The road next to the fountain was known as Volker Boulevard until the name was changed to honor civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr., decision city leaders recognized would have surely met the approval of Volker given his preference for anonymity and support of diverse institutions and people throughout his life.

William Volker Memorial Fountain

Country Club Plaza

Conceptualized by the founder of Hallmark Cards Joyce Clyde "J.C." Hall, Crown Center first opened in 1971 in an effort to revitalize the once-deteriorating district. The 3.5 acre public courtyard that is Crown Center Square was part of the original design of the Crown Center district by Edward Larrabee Barnes. Installed in 1973, the Square features landscaped terraces, walkways, and seating, and provides an area for respite and space for public events. It is also the site of the Ice Terrace ice skating rink and the Square Fountain. The Crown Center Square Fountain is made with 2,000 square feet of checkerboard patterned pavers containing 49 water jets and 48 water shooters that send water 60 feet into the air.  A 37,500-gallon underground reservoir recycles the water at a rate of 2,200 gallons per minute. Daily, the fountain presents synchronized water shows where the high pressure water jets are choreographed to music recorded by members of the Kansas City Symphony. <blockquote>Regular show schedule: </blockquote><blockquote>Weekdays: Shows at noon and on the hour from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m</blockquote><blockquote>Weekends: Shows on the hour from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m</blockquote><blockquote>Friday and Saturday: Additional show at 10 p.m</blockquote>In 2007, Crown Center’s architect Edward Larrabee Barnes (1915-2004) was posthumously awarded the American Institute of Architects highest honor of Gold Medal for his collective work in a 40-plus year career. Barnes was known for “crisp, geometric buildings in both rural and urban landscapes that didn’t call attention to themselves.” Crown Center was described by the AIA as a “low-rise commercial office complex that handsomely shapes the cityscape.”Please note: Patrons are asked to stay behind the railing and are not allowed on the surface of the fountain.

Completed in 1973, the Crown Center Square Fountain is the centerpiece of the Crown Center business and shopping district. The 2,000 square-foot playful fountain is situated in the center of a landscaped courtyard across from the entrance of the Crown Center Shops. Its ground-level surface is made of checkerboard patterned pavers with dozens of jets that shoot water spouts 60 feet into the air. Water shows are performed daily and synchronized to music recorded by members of the Kansas City Symphony.

The Crown Center Square Fountain was complete with the courtyard in 1973.

Crown Center Square Fountain

This award-winning fountain was gifted to the city in 2001 by its namesake, H&amp;R Block co-founder and lifelong Kansas City resident Henry Wollman Bloch. The circular fountain was designed by accomplished fountain engineers at WET Design, the designers of the Bellagio Hotel fountains in Las Vegas, Nevada. The fountain features 232 vertical jets arranged in three rings. Water sprays in an evolving pattern every 30 minutes, synchronized by a computer. The jets are surrounded by a Black granite ellipse in which water barely covers, creating a mirror effect to reflect the monuments to the east and west as the fountain sits in the traffic median between the iconic National WW1 Museum and Memorial and Union Station. It received the design honor award in 2003 and was honored by the Prairie Gateway Chapter for its architectural accomplishments. Bloch dedicated the fountain to Kansas City one year after he retired as chairman of H&amp;R Block. Henry Wollman Bloch was a Kansas City native, born in 1922. He served as a B-17 crewman over Europe in the US air force during WW2. In 1946, in the wake of World War II, Bloch and his brother Leon founded a small bookkeeping and tax services company. The company suffered through several rough and unprofitable years until, in 1955, a very successful advertisement of their tax preparation services went out in the Kansas City Star newspaper. With that success, Henry and his older brother Richard founded a new company, named H&amp;R Block. The company became a national brand in the 1970s when it started offering professional tax services to a much wider market, growing to more than 8,000 offices at this time. It was also during this time that Henry began acting in commercials advertising for his company. H&amp;R Block grew to become one of the largest tax services and at the time of Henry Bloch’s death in 2019, the company had over 12,000 offices. Bloch was also well known for his vast philanthropic contributions to the Kansas City area, many of which were with his wife Marion. The Bloch's charitable work includes donations to Saint Luke's Hospital, the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, both monetarily and in an extensive collection of paintings, and the development of the Bloch School of Management at the University of Missouri - Kansas City. The Marion and Henry Bloch Family Foundation was established in 2011 to continue their philanthropic legacy.

Built in 2001 by the designers of Las Vegas's famous Bellagio Hotel fountains, the Henry Wollman Bloch Fountain features 232 water jets and performs a five minute show every 30 minutes. The fountain was given by and is named for well known Kansas City businessman and philanthrope Henry Bloch, who was the co-founder of the premier tax preparation company H&amp;R Block. Bloch is also known for his charitable contributions and commitment to improving the quality of life in the greater Kansas City area.

The fountain overlooked by the National WW1 Museum and Memorial.

Henry Wollman Bloch Fountain

Now recognized as the nation’s official World War I memorial, this historic monument was built as the Liberty Memorial and completed in 1926. Co-designers of Liberty Memorial, Kansas City architects Wight and Wight also designed these twinning fountains. Though they were part of the original design for the memorial site, official plans for the fountains were accepted in 1933, as well as the north terrace walls, the Great Frieze, and steps. Construction of the fountains started the following year and was completed in 1935. The entirety of the Liberty Memorial complex was completed in 1938. Situated on the north side of the memorial, these two, two-tiered fountains flank the 90-foot-wide steps leading from the Great Frieze terrace down to the North Lawn. The walls were constructed with Indiana limestone while the weirs and basins are made of granite. For each fountain, the upper tier features a set of geysers surrounded by a spray ring, as water cascades over the weir, creating multiple waterfalls into the lower pool. The front ledge of the lower tier is bowed and lined with small jets that issue water back into the pool. Honoring the lives lost in the war, each fountain features an inscribed excerpt.<blockquote>The east fountain is a passage from the patriotic anthem America the Beautiful by Katherine Lee Bates and reads: WHO MORE THAN SELF THEIR COUNTRY LOVED</blockquote><blockquote>The west fountain is a quote from Sir Samuel Egerton Brydges on the death of Sir Walter Scott which reads: THE GLORY DIES NOT AND GRIEF IS PAST</blockquote>In 2011, local architectural and design firm Gould Evans led a rehabilitation project for the site. Plans included repointing the masonry, stone patching, cleaning, mechanical and plumbing upgrades, and the application of breathable water repellent. In addition, deteriorating tiles in the fountains’ basins needed replacing, though the original glazed porcelain tiles had been replaced just 15 years prior. Some of those original tiles were preserved in the museum archives and used as reference to replicate the hand-made replacements. The project was completed in 2014, the same year the site received a second designation from Congress, effectively recognizing it as the National WWI Museum and Memorial.

Completed in 1935, these twin fountains flank the steps beneath the Great Frieze on the north side of the National World War I Museum and Memorial. The monumental site opened in 1926 as Liberty Memorial to honor the lives of the 441 Kansas City residents who died in World War I. Made of limestone and granite, these two-tiered fountains were designed by the co-architects of Liberty Memorial, Wight and Wight, and overlook the North Lawn, historic Union Station, and the iconic Kansas City skyline.

Constructed with limestone and granite, these twin, two-tiered fountains flank the steps beneath the Great Frieze.

Liberty Memorial North Fountains

Construction of the Liberty Memorial South Fountain started in 1999 and was completed in 2002. It was created using Indiana limestone and Péribonka Black granite, and features three, semi-elliptical tiers which flow into an oval reflecting pool. The top of the fountain is situated at the base of the ascending south terrace and has a waterfall effect which cascades below. The succeeding tiers have channels cut between each level, allowing the water to flow down into the pool at the museum’s entrance. During a major restoration project started in 2011 and led by local architectural and design firm Gould Evans, this fountain was cleaned and rehabilitated. Efforts included a new skimming wall, select stone replacement, repointing of mortar, work to the basin, and new waterproofing, sealants, and granite veneer at the stepped terrace. The project was completed in 2014, the same year that the site received a second designation from Congress. The site for the Liberty Memorial was originally dedicated in November 1921. Following a three-and-a-half-year construction effort, the memorial was officially unveiled and dedicated on November 11, 1926, to a crowd of 150,000 people. The memorial was the result of a community-based fundraising effort to creating a last monument to honor those who had served in the First World War, particularly those who had died. The monument itself, which included the tower, staircases, and the sphinxes remained a fixture on the Kansas City landscape for decades, as well as Memory and Exhibit Halls. In 1998, money was raised to rehabilitate the memorial through a city-wide sales tax and private donations, in addition to state and federal funding. Renovations included the expansion of the museum into a state-of-the-art facility, as well as the addition of this fountain in the courtyard at the museum’s new entrance. Upon completion of the project, the site was renamed as the National WWI Museum and Memorial and was deemed America’s official museum and memorial dedicated to the Great War. It was designated as a National Historic Landmark in 2006, and presidential legislation recognized it as the nation's official WWI museum in 2014.

Located at the entrance to the National World War I Museum and Memorial on the south side of the tower, this three-tiered fountain was originally installed as part of a major restoration effort to the historic Liberty Memorial between 2000 and 2002. The memorial was rededicated in 2002 and expanded to become the National World War I Museum and Memorial in 2004 and designated as a National Historic Landmark in 2006.

The Liberty Memorial South Fountain at the entrance to the National WWI Museum was completed in 2002.

Liberty Memorial South Fountain

The first organized
Kansas City Fire Department was established in 1868 in response to the rising
threat of fire in the growing city. It first started off with a single
horse-drawn steam fire engine, and two hand hose carts. The department soon
grew, and adopted the latest firefighting technologies. Fire department Chief
George Hale patented numerous inventions related to firefighting, including a
swinging harness, and the department was said to be an early adopter of the
sliding pole. At the turn of the twentieth century the KCFD gained
international publicity when it was selected to represent the United States at
the International Fire Congress both in London in 1893 and Paris in 1900. 

Dozens of Kansas City
firefighters have perished in the line of duty over the years. One of the most
notorious modern incidents was when six firefighters were killed on November
29, 1988. The KCFD was responding to a trailer fire at a construction site for
71 Highway. The trailer turned out to be full of fuel and other dangerous substances,
which ignited in an explosion powerful enough to shake homes and shatter glass
miles away. Thomas Fry, Gerald Halloran, Luther Hurd, James Kilventon Jr,
Robert McKarnin and Michael Oldham were all instantly killed. The fire was
later revealed to be arson, and five men were convicted of the crime. 

Following the 1988
disaster, many in Kansas City sought a way to honor the city’s fallen
firefighters. In 1991 a fountain and memorial were erected at the southern end
of Penn Valley Park. The fountain was designed by Larkin Aquatics, and features
48 streams of water from nozzles made of fire hoses. It is 80 feet in diameter
and contains 76,000 gallons of water, making it one of the largest fountains in
the city. Artist Tom Corbin was commissioned to create three bronze sculptures
of firefighters; two stand in the center of the fountain, while another stands
north of the fountain at the memorial. The original memorial consisted of
granite pedestals etched with the names of fallen firefighters. 

By 2015, the list of
fallen firefighters on the memorial had become full. Researched also revealed
that several names had been missed, while others were misspelled. To correct
this, a new replacement memorial was designed by artist Barbara Grygutis. It
consists of two, semitransparent, aluminum walls with an updated list of fallen
firefighters. At night the walls are illuminated with blue LED lights. The
original list on the granite pedestals were covered with plaques detailing the
history of the Kansas City Fire Department.

The Kansas City Firefighters Fountain and Memorial is dedicated to all the firefighters who have lost their lives during the Kansas City Fire Department’s history. It was first installed in 1991 to honor six firefighters who were killed in an explosion in 1988. Located in Penn Valley Park, the memorial originally consisted of three bronze sculptures of firefighters, an eighty-foot wide fountain, and bronze plaques listing the names of fallen firefighters. In 2015 the memorial was updated, with the bronze plaques replaced by illuminated aluminum walls featuring a corrected and expanded list of firefighters. 

The memorial fountain was built in 1991 and is one of the largest in Kansas City. Image obtained from Wikimedia. 

Kansas City Firefighters Fountain and Memorial

In 1910, the Pennsylvania Railroad constructed Penn Station, a massive railroad terminal, in New York City at the present-day site of Madison Square Garden. Encompassing eight acres, the Beaux-Arts style building was designed to resemble an Ancient Greek temple and became one of New York’s most prominent facilities in the early twentieth century. Hanging above each of the building’s four entrances were identical pairs of 62,000-pound sculptures known as Day and Night. Created by artist Adolph Weinman, the sculptures each consisted of a seven-foot laurel wreath flanked by a woman representing Day (on the left) and a woman representing Night (on the right); each woman in turn was flanked by a sculpture of an eagle. A large clock hung in the center of each wreath.In 1963, the Pennsylvania Railroad opted to demolish Penn Station as a cost-cutting measure due to the decline of passenger rail travel. Demolition of the station began in 1963 and continued until 1968, when the Madison Square Garden complex was developed on the same site. Several key architecture features from the building were saved, including three of the Day and Night sculptures. In 1966, Kansas City businessman and Boy Scout Regional Council president John Starr successfully requested that the Pennsylvania Railroad donate one of the sculptures to Kansas City to be used as an Eagle Scout memorial. At the time, Kansas City had the highest number of Eagle Scouts in the nation. The Starr family and other donors raised money to convert the Day and Night sculpture into a memorial fountain. Local architect Maurice McMullen designed the renovations. He created a two-tiered fountain with two spiral stairways at the foot of the sculpture and replaced the clock inside the wreath with an oversized model of the Boy Scout Eagle badge. The memorial was placed at the intersection of 39th Street and Gillham Road and dedicated on October 8, 1968.The Eagle Scout award was first introduced to the young Boy Scouts of America organization in 1911 as a special merit-based award for those who earned at least 21 merit badges. It is the highest rank a Scout can receive and demonstrates exceptional leadership and civic mindedness among recipients. The first Eagle Scout award was given to sixteen-year-old Arthur Eldred in 1912. Since then, over two million youth have been named Eagle Scouts. Notable inductees include astronaut Neil Armstrong, President Gerald Ford, Walmart founder Sam Walton, and television host Mike Rowe.

The Eagle Scout Memorial Fountain was dedicated in 1968. It pays tribute to the millions of youth who have been named Eagle Scouts since the award's induction in 1911. This 22-foot tall memorial was created by retrofitting a marble clock sculpture from New York City's Penn Station. When the station was demolished during the 1960s, local Boy Scout executive John Starr arranged to have the sculpture transported to Kansas City to serve as a tribute to Eagle Scouts. Architect Maurice McMullen modified the sculpture with a complementary fountain pool and adjacent stairways, which represent the levels a Scout much reach to receive the rank of Eagle Scout.

The Eagle Scout Memorial Fountain is located in Hyde Park and was dedicated in 1968.

Eagle Scout Memorial Fountain 

The idea of this Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fountain was developed in the early 1980s by Kansas City Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund, Inc.. Designed by Vietnam Veteran and Architectural Designer David M. Baker, this memorial fountain is made of five, interconnected rectangular pools that are presented from smallest to largest and symbolizes America’s growing involvement throughout the Vietnam War. It was dedicated on September 6, 1986.The United States of America became directly involved in the Vietnam War (1954-1975) in 1959 due to increasingly escalating guerilla incidents. Until this time, the U.S. primarily offered supplies, advising, and training to South Vietnam, a principal ally. America had become involved on a large scale by 1965 and active combat troops were introduced. By 1969, more than 500,000 American military personnel were stationed in Vietnam. As the cost increased, both monetarily and in human casualties, U.S. troops finally withdrew in 1973. The war ended in 1975 when South Vietnam fell to the North. As described, America's involvement is represented in the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fountain first by calmness in a shallow pool. Water then travels through channels to larger pools containing pillars which water flows from vigorously, representing turbulence and chaos of building troops and escalating combat. The third pool splits into two channels which flow into separate pools, representing the everlasting division of opinion about America's involvement in the Vietnam War resulting in the tremendous loss of life. In addition, the names of the 451 Kansas City area soldiers whose lives were lost are inscribed and memorialized in a semi-circular wall behind the fountain. The Memorial Wall was dedicated the year prior to the fountain, on December 16, 1985. The wall also contains an inscribed Vietnam Service Medal to recognize all members of the Armed Forces who directly served during the Vietnam War and a Purple Heart to honor those who were wounded or killed while serving.An accompanying plaque to the fountain reads as follows: <blockquote>	Water, like time, has the power to cleanse and heal. This memorial fountain stands as a symbol of that healing, from the devastating division caused by the Vietnam War. The fountain's pools represent the country's growing involvement in the war, culminating in two pools symbolic of the divided opinions at the time.</blockquote><blockquote>	Americans took distinct and differing stands on the war, and caught in the middle were the thousands of men and women from the Kansas City area who served in Vietnam, hundreds of whom were killed or are missing and unaccounted for. This memorial is to honor them, and bring us all together in tribute to their dedication and bravery.</blockquote><blockquote>	The park is for all of Kansas City to enjoy, and to remember. For only by remembering can we assure that it never happens again.</blockquote>The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund is a nonprofit organization based in Arlington, Virginia, whose mission is to “honor and preserve the legacy of service and educate all generations about the impact of the Vietnam War.” The organization was incorporated on April 27, 1979 and authorized by Congress the following year to build a memorial as a physical symbol recognizing service members of the U.S. Armed Forces during the Vietnam War. Commonly called The Wall, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial was installed in the nation's capital, Washington D.C. and dedicated on November 13, 1982. As a reminder of their sacrifice, the 493-foot long, Black granite wall memorializes the more than 58,000 men and women who lost their lives or remain missing.

Dedicated on September 6, 1986, this tranquil fountain serves as a memorial to the Veterans who served in the Vietnam War. Five adjoining pools represent America's increased involvement throughout the War as the water starts calmly in a shallow pool before flowing into more turbulent waters. It ends with two channels leading to separate pools, symbolizing the divided opinions of the War. Across from the fountain is a semi-circular wall inscribed with the names of Kansas City area Veterans whose lives were lost.

The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fountain contains five inter-connected pools representing America's growing involvement in the Vietnam War.

Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fountain

Crossroads to Westport

The fountain and museum are located in Kansas City's River Market neighborhood, once known as Westport Landing, the first and oldest incorporated district in Kansas City. Established in 1821 as an early French fur trading post, operated by François Chouteau of the prominent Chouteau family, the area slowly matured into a city. The Westport Landing name stems from the dock on the Missouri River used for the exchange of goods targeted for the Westport community three miles to the south on higher ground operated by John Calvin McCoy. He and fourteen other pioneers moved to the area in 1830, finding Chouteau's farming area suitable for settling. Though he was intent on converting Shawnee Indians into Christians, he also opened a general store, developed roads, and cleared a trail to the river landing. Over time, Westport Landing outgrew Westport, eventually growing into modern-day Kansas City. The landing area served many steamboats that traversed the Missouri River, including the Steamboat Arabia, one of the numerous steamboat shipwrecks of the treacherous Missouri River; nearly 400 steamboats sank on the 2,500-mile river. In September 1856, the Arabia carried 200 tons of cargo intended for general stores and homes in sixteen Midwestern frontier towns. As was typical on the river, the steamboat hit a tree snag and sank just six miles west of Kansas City. The Arabia and its cargo sat buried underground for over a century. Indeed, because the river changed course over the years, searchers found the ship n the 1980s nearly forty feet deep beneath a Kansas cornfield, which had protected Arabia's payload from light and oxygen, allowing it to remain remarkably well preserved.One year after the Steamboat Arabia sank, the formation of City Market in Westport Landing, or "The City of Kansas," took place. City Market consisted of a public square and large open-air farmers’ market. Sometimes referred to as River Market because of its proximity to the Missouri River, City Market offered visitors a chance to buy fresh products from farmers, while the associated public square served as the home to political rallies, demonstrations (such as medicine shows), and entertainment. The market has gone through many iterations over the last 150 plus years, from its beginnings as a venue for market commerce, political rallies, and medicine shows. During the 1970s, developer Marion A. Trozzolo applied the name "River Quay" to the area to capitalize on the neighborhood’s early French connections as a fur trading post operated by François Chouteau. Trozzolo hoped to develop the neighborhood into a destination for restaurants and bohemian shops. However, a mob war developed; they burned and planted bombs in three establishments, resulting in the deaths of several mobsters. But, during the 1980s, Cliff C. Jones, president of the Market Area Development Corporation, remarked on a new plan to restore the area to its former glory: ''We have to do this. We have to clean this area up. This is the very doorstep of Kansas City.''Jones, who majored in economics at Princeton and graduated with honors, served in the Navy during World War II before returning to Kansas City to work for R.B. Jones &amp; Sons Insurance Co., eventually becoming its president and CEO. Indeed, he enjoyed extraordinary success in the business world. Additionally, in 1948, the Junior Chamber of Commerce elected him president and in 1957 he served as president of the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce. Moreover, he founded the Civic Council of Kansas City and served as its second president. Suffice it to say, he dedicated much of his life developing businesses in Kansas City before adding "president of the Market Area Development Corporation," to his resume. The 1980s renovation of the River Market neighborhood proved wildly successful. Since its renovation, the market has transitioned into a hub for shopping, dining, and other service-orientated commercial enterprises. The area has received critical acclaim. The vision to restore the River Market neighborhood into a modern marketplace, much as it was during the 1850s, allowing for the preservation of a historic part of Kansas City. Meanwhile, the fountain that honors the River Market visionary is located near a museum that not only celebrates a lost ship, but a significant aspect of Kansas City history: the Missouri River, from steamboats and fur trading to today's restaurants, hotels, and recreational activities.

The Vision Fountain adorns the entrance of the Arabia Steamboat Museum in the River Market area, located north of downtown Kansas City, Missouri. Jim Brothers designed the sculpture that memorializes local businessman Cliff C. Jones, Jr. for his work in redeveloping the River Market area, a historic area of Kansas City. Meanwhile, the museum is home to numerous nineteenth-century artifacts, notably the recovered Steamboat Arabia, which sank with its 200 tons of mystery cargo near Kansas City on September 5, 1856.

Vision Fountain at the Arabia Steamboat Museum

David Woods Kemper was born in 1919 to James Sr. and Gladys Woods Kemper. The Kempers were a very prominent and influential banking family in the Kansas City and St. Louis area; for decades they have led Commerce Bancshares Inc. and its subsidiary Commerce Bank of Kansas City. Today they are still active in both the banking industry and philanthropy. David attended school at both Harvard and Stanford before enlisting in the Army in 1942. He was sent overseas to Italy where he eventually became a platoon leader with the rank of lieutenant. David was killed on April 25, 1945 just days before the end of the Second World War in Europe. In 1946 David’s father James Kemper Sr. and his brother James Kemper Jr. founded the David Woods Kemper Memorial Foundation in his honor. It has awarded grants to many organizations and projects in Kansas City. In 2016 James Kemper Jr. established a second group, the David Woods Kemper Veterans Foundation, to provide financial support for veterans’ organizations in Kansas and Missouri.In 1962 David’s family commissioned a sculpture and fountain in his honor. The David Woods Kemper Memorial Fountain, more commonly known as the Muse of Missouri, was designed and sculpted by artist Wheeler Williams. It is meant to depict a Greek goddess known as a muse guiding the Missouri River. In Greek mythology, a muse was a female deity that provided inspiration and presided over arts and sciences. The fountain consists of 200 water spouts; rising above it is a nude statue of the goddess wielding a fishing net and surrounded by fish. Williams originally wanted to incorporate native Missouri River fish into the sculpture, such as carp and catfish, but he found them to be too ugly. Instead he created a carp and bluefish hybrid for the sculpture.The Muse of Missouri was dedicated and presented to the citizens of Kansas City on December 2, 1962. It is located on the median of 8th and 9th Street on Main Street. Maintenance of the fountain is handled by the City of Fountains Foundation, which holds an endowment for its upkeep. The Foundation is a non-profit group dedicated to conserving historic fountains and sculptures in Kansas City. The fountain and sculpture underwent an extensive restoration in 2005.

Also known as the David Woods Kemper Memorial, the Muse of the Missouri sculpture and fountain was dedicated in 1962 to the memory of David Woods Kemper, who was killed in action during World War II in Italy. It was a gift to the city by his parents Mr. and Mrs. James Kemper. Artist Wheeler Williams created the sculpture and designed the fountains. The sculpture depicts a muse, a Greek goddess of arts and sciences, with a fishing net from which fish fall to the the pool below. The water fountain consists of three pools that are filled by two hundred water spouts.

Muse of the Missouri

Located in the heart of downtown Kansas City, the Poindexter Building and Parking Structure opened in the late 1990s after a significant renovation project was completed. In addition to the functional aspects of the building and parking garage, the design included several aesthetic features, including a sunken entry court that provides easy approaches to the lobby and a landscaped outdoor terraced foyer, which doubles as a green space. Included in that space are the Rodin Rodannadanna Sculpture and Poindexter Fountain. The fountain consists of the aforementioned bull and bear sculptures along with stone, concrete, and slotted stainless steel troughs. Water flows from the top of the stone pillars into the steel troughs into the pools below. The fountain sits below the sculpture titled "Rodin Rodannadanna," by artist Donald Lipski, which features Rodin's "The Thinker" rotated around a circle. As described in The Clio entry titled "Rodin Rodannadanna by Donald Lipski, the sculpture "consists of a circle of 18 life-sized casts of Auguste Rodin's 'The Thinker,' with a title that is a tongue-in-cheek reference to Gilder Radner's character in Saturday Night Live Roseanne Roseannadanna.

This Kansas City fountain is located just below the tongue-in-cheek public art installation Rodin Rodannadanna that adorns the Poindexter Building and parking structure. The fountain incorporates the bull and bear sculptures that originally were located adjacent to the now-demolished Gibraltar Building at 818 Wyandotte. In 1997, a project transformed the Poindexter office building into a 1,000-space parking garage that included a small recessed open-air court in front of the building where the sculpture and fountain are now located.

The Poindexter Fountain

For half a century the Garment District was the center of a thriving clothing industry; at one point it was the second largest industry in Kansas City, and the second largest garment industry in the nation, next to New York City’s Garment District. The garment boom began in earnest following the end of World War I, when thousands of Eastern Europeans immigrated to the city through a new entry port in Galveston, Texas. Many of these immigrants had backgrounds as tailors and seamstresses, and they utilized these skills to open their own small clothing businesses. At the same time, many clothing manufacturers from the Eastern United States were moving to Kansas City to escape increasing labor costs and higher taxes. These immigrants and businesses set up shop in an area spanning from Sixth Street to 11th Street.Soon there were numerous small and medium businesses in the Garment District employing hundreds of people to design, manufacture, and sell clothing. Companies included Donnelly, Mayfair Playwear, Mary-Lane Coats and Suits, and Gay Gibson Junior Dresses. Many of these produced dresses or work clothes for laborers. The garment industry continued to grow, peaking in the 1950s; at this point there were as many as 150 local garment businesses employing 8,000 people. Clothing manufacturing began to decline in the 1960s, and was virtually eliminated from the Garment District by the early 1980s. Reasons behind the collapse include the closure of small specialty dress shops in favor of chain stores; a decrease in demand for farm clothes; and the importation of cheaper clothing from overseas. Many of the former warehouses and factories in the Garment District were converted into residential apartments and commercial spaces in the 1980s, giving the neighborhood a new purpose.With the conversion of the Garment District from an industrial to a residential area in the 1980s came efforts to preserve and celebrate the district’s garment manufacturing past. In 1989 the Historic Garment District Group commissioned a fountain to be built at the Godfrey and Blanche Jones Plaza on Broadway Boulevard and West 8th Street. It was designed by Theis Sickbert Associates and funded by the Jules and Doris Stein Foundation along with Proctor &amp; Gamble, which was celebrating its sesquicentennial. The fountain features a brick wall dividing it in half, creating two separate designs. One side has water pouring down the brick wall, while the other side has water pouring through five spouts into a basin. The fountain serves as a gateway into the Garment District.

In the decades after World War I, this section of downtown Kansas City, known as the Garment District, became a major clothing manufacturing site. Dozens of garment companies employed thousands of workers here until the domestic garment industry declined rapidly 1970s and 1980s. Today the Garment District is now primarily a residential and commercial area. The Eighth Street Fountain was erected in 1989 by the Historic Garment District Group to commemorate this important part of the city's history.

In 1989 the Historic Garment District Group commissioned a fountain to be built at the Godfrey and Blanche Jones Plaza on Broadway Boulevard and West 8th Street

Eighth Street Fountain

Every President from Theodore Roosevelt to Ronald Reagan styed at the Muehlebach Hotel, which is now one of three buildings that make up the Kansas City Marriott. The hotel was created by George E. Muehlebach, the son of the founder of Kanas City's Muehlebach beer. While President, Harry S. Truman stayed at the hotel so frequently that some referred to the Muehlebach as the far west wing of the White House. The hotel hosted the guests of the 1928 Republican Convention and the 1976 Republican National Convention, an event that saw the nomination of Gerald Ford despite a strong challenge by supporters of Ronald Reagan. Ten years later, the Muehlebach Hotel closed and was vacant for ten years until acquired by Marriott. The grand lobby of the original 1915 hotel has been restored.

This large fountain was built in 1985 as part of a redesign of the Barney Allis Plaza, and urban park located above a parking garage at the site of the city's first convention hall which was built to host the Democratic National Convention of 1900. That convention hall was used until the 1930s and today, the plaza where it once stood is a tree-lined urban park that features several statues and is named after the manager of the former Muehlebach Hotel which was located across the street. That historic hotel is now part of the Marriott Hotel. Barney Allis managed the hotel for three decades beginning in 1931. Despite his short stature of 5 foot 3 inches, Allis had a tremendous presence and ran the hotel in a way that left a positive impression on visitors to the city. Allis earned a reputation as a perfectionist and his leadership bolstered the hotel's reputation which compelled a number of celebrities, including the Beatles, Frank Sinatra, Bob Hope, and future President Harry Truman, to choose to stay at the Muehlebach. The fountain is on the north end of the plaza and features 112 water jets. The plaza was first created in 1956.

The Barney Allis Plaza Fountain was installed in 1985. 

Barney Allis Plaza and Fountain

The fountain was dedicated in 1999 to honor William T. Kemper (1865-1938) and Charlotte Crosby Kemper (1866-1956). The fountain's location between Commerce Bank, a leading business established by the Kemper family, and the Kansas City Public Library, an institution led and supported by multiple generations of Kemper family members, was selected to reflect the family's commitment to both commercial and civic improvement in Kansas City.

Artists Lori Doolittle and Alvin Holm designed this unique downtown Kansas City fountain to resemble the ancient stone bowl which is on display at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art. The fountain was dedicated in 1999 in honor of the Kemper Family and their commitment to Kansas City. The artists added features that preserve energy as part of their effort to reflect themes of conservation, art, and technology into the design of the fountain. The artists also worked to blend aspects of the fountain to match the architecture of nearby buildings, including the Commerce Bank headquarters.

This fountain was dedicated in 1999 in recognition of the contributions of the Kemper Family to Kansas City.

William Thornton and Charlotte Crosby Kemper Memorial Fountain

Ilus Davis was born on April 22, 1917, in Kansas City, Missouri, and went on to attend the University of Kansas City (known today as the University of Missouri-Kansas City). While there, he proved instrumental in founding the student newspaper: The University News. David later obtained a law degree from the University of Missouri in Columbia. In his mid-'20s, he served in the Army during World War II, ultimately fighting in Manilla under General Douglas MacArthur's command.After the war, he returned to Kansas City and married, and in 1948 ran for city council, serving two terms. In 1963, he won a close mayoral election, besting his opponent by a little more than 1,800 votes out of 110,000 submitted; he served from 1963 - 1971. During his tenure, he oversaw the bond issue to build Kansas City International Airport, and he set in motion the construction of two professional sports stadiums. He also spearheaded numerous community improvement projects. But, Davis likely is remembered mainly for his connection to the city's Civil Rights movement, including the 1968 Kansas City race riot associated with the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. Kansas City did not experience any civil unrest similar to other cities in the wake of the Martin Luther King assassination. Following MLK's murder, at least two peaceful marches transpired, attended by thousands of White and Black people. In the four years before the riot, several desegregation transitions took place largely without incident. In 1964, in Davis's first year as mayor, he strongly supported a public accommodations ordinance desegregating restaurants, taverns, and hotels. The measure went to a vote where a significant African American turnout countered the two‐thirds of the whites who voted to oppose the measure. Davis noted his displeasure with the close vote but championed it as a step in the right direction. Davis routinely boasted that despite the city's decades of tenuous race relations, Kansas City enjoyed peaceful desegregation while violence erupted in other cities. But, the city's choice to keep schools open on the day of King's funeral angered the Black community and led to hundreds of inner city students leaving schools to march toward Kansas City City Hall. Mayor Davis chose to joined the marchers and several leaders from the Black community as they approached City Hall. Together, they encountered a large contingent of police officers, many dressed in riot gear and gas masks, and some joined by dogs. The police intended to keep marchers from approaching downtown, but Mayor Davis instructed the police to let the marchers through. Stories about what happened next differ, but tensions ensued. The police eventually launched tear gas into the crowd, which served as a catalyst that resulted in days of rioting, leading to the dispatching of the National Guard, widespread property damage, hundreds of arrests, numerous injuries, and six dead Black persons, five killed by the police. After the riots, Davis and the city council quickly reformed its housing ordinances to desegregate housing sales and rentals, something civil rights leaders noted long before the riots that the city was too slow in addressing. Davis also created a city commission on civil disorder. Additionally, Davis moved to assemble the city's Human Relations Department and Human Resources Corporation to bring President Lyndon Johnson's Great Society programs to Kansas City (one of the most extensive social reform plans in modern history). Although the riot revealed that the racial divide remained, Davis is credited by many for the progress he made in ending many of the city's discriminatory practices. Indeed, former Kansas City NCAAP President, Herman Johnson, spoke at Davis' funeral in 1996 and noted the significance of Davis regarding the Civil Rights movement. The park speaks to his connection to the Civil Rights movement and his success in helping Kansas City grow. In addition to the flowers, trees, fountain, and reflecting pool, a bronze statue of Ilus Winfield Davis was added to the southwest corner of the park in 2004.

Constructed in the 1990s, this fountain and small park located next to Kansas City's City Hall honors former mayor Ilus Winfield Davis. Davis' two terms in office (1963-71) included efforts to end segregation in public schools and other institutions as well as measures to promote equality in the aftermath of the 1968 Kansas City riots that followed the assassination of Martin Luther King. Davis joined hundreds of Black youth in a march towards city hall, but the city's police department still made the decision to use tear gas to disperse the crowd. This action by the police prompted several days of riots, property damage, injuries, and deaths. Davis has been remembered by civil rights leaders for his good faith attempts to heal the city's racial divide. For example, Herman Johnson, the former president of the Kansas City NAACP, declaring at Davis' 1996 funeral: "Ilus Davis probably did more than one single person in Kansas City in the area of civil rights" owing to his simple willingness to listen and support the ideas of African American leaders and residents at a time when other city leaders were less responsive.

Fountains of Kansas City Driving Tour

Delbert J. Haff Circle Fountain

Introduction

Images

Sources