Kansas City, KS

The Kansas City, Kansas National Humane Alliance fountain dates back to about 1904. According to the Wynadotte County Historical Society, Kansas City had a large hose population at the time, but that an epidemic among the horse population was caused by the stagnant water in the horse troughs around the city.

A National Humane Alliance was considered a positive alternative because of the flowing nature of the water in the fountain from the lions head spigots to smaller basins for dogs and cats at the bottom of the fountain. Accordingly, in 1907 Mayor Cornell advised the city council to accept the gift from NHA and install it as required at the west end of the Inter-City viaduct between Minnesota and Armstrong Avenues on Fourth Street. The Kansas City Humane Society had been insturmental in working with the City Council to obtain the fountain.

A lightly attended dedication ceremony was held on a Sunday afternoon in June with numerous, but short speeches. For a fuller account, click here.

The fountain was later moved to the tennis courts at 18th and Parallel and in 1967 the Wynadotte County Historical Society purchased the fountain. They moved it and restored it at their location in Wynadotte County Park in Bonner Springs. The fountain no longer works, but the lions heads and plaque are still in place along with a newer, smaller plaque above one of the lions heads.

For more on the National Humane Alliance Fountains click here.