Maryville, MO

Photo of the fountain at the intersection of 4th and Market in the early 1900s, courtesy of NCHS archives.

Update - on Dec. 10, 2021 Maryville dedicated their new Downtown Pocket Park which includes the NHA fountain. Click here for story and pictures.

We've been following the story of the National Humane Alliance Fountain in Maryville, MO for a long time. In October, 2019 we were pleased to see the Maryville Forum report and show a video of  the 1911 fountain being moved to a new home in the Downtown Maryville Pocket Park. On October 6, 2020 we were pleased to see the Nodaway Historical Society posted the following information and pictures on the National Humane Alliance Facebook Page:

Did you know?

The granite fountain featured in the new pocket park, at the corner of 3rd and Main, has been in Maryville since the early 1900s.

The fountain has had many different homes in our town. It started at the intersection of 4th and Market. The fountain was placed there in 1911 by the National Humane Alliance. It was dedicated to the founder, Hermon Lee Ensign. At this location, the fountain was used for more than aesthetic purposes. Horses, oxen, and other smaller animals used this as a watering hole. Firefighters also made use of the fountain because it was placed over the town well.
The fountain found a new home in 1925 when it was moved to a small park at the corner of 4th and Dunn. This was near the southeast entrance of the college. At this location, students were known to play pranks by putting red dye or soap in the water.

Photo from St. Joseph News-Press 9/14/1970

In 1970, the fountain was moved to the east entrance of the Administration Building on the NWMSU campus. When the university took ownership of the fountain in 1969, the ornate lion heads were missing. The Art Department, Bob Sunkel, Tom Sayre, Jim Broderick, Mike Cole, and President Foster & his wife worked together to restore the fountain to its original state. On September 07, 1970, the fountain was in working condition again.

The fountain remained on campus until it was removed in 2017 due to construction on steam tunnel below. It was then kept in storage until the city placed this beautiful fountain in our new pocket park, on the corner of 3rd and Main.

Post by Intern Haylee Pals - Information and photos courtesy of Nodaway County Historical Society archives, Maryville Daily Forum: Issue 09 Sept. 1970, and the Northwest Missouri State University Flickr.

Photo taken by Haylee Pals, September 2020, pocket park at 3rd and Main.

Earlier story and picture:

For more on the National Humane Alliance Fountains click here.