Council Bluffs, IA
By the time the National Humane Alliance Fountain arrived in Council Bluffs, IA some two weeks later than expected on July 16, 1907 the city had already built the cement base for it at Broadway and Fourth Street and rapidly placed their new fountain atop in hopes of a dedication a couple of days later. However the dedication did not take place until October 7. General Grenville Dodge, who had worked to secure the fountain from the Alliance presided along with the Parks Commissioner, Andrew Graham. The city council had rejected the "exorbitant" bill for $55 for the work of getting the fountain in place so Alderman R. B. Wallace paid the bill himself! The fountain proved to be very popular initially, but over time horses inevitably gave way to motorized vehicles and the fountain became a problem. In 1922, it was removed for repairs and one of the Aldermen O. Over planned to ask the city to permanently remove it as being obsolete. A newspaper article noted that could be a legal problem since the city had agreed that it was to always be maintained and never removed as a condition of receiving the gift. However, at some point it was moved to the Haymarket area at the intersection of Pearl and South Main Street where there was still some horse traffic. However, by 1952 the fountain was more of a monument than a working fountain and increase vehicle traffic resulted in a decision by city officials to move it. It proved to be quite a chore as it required 10 city employees, five vehicles and closing the streets for half a day and it was moved to a building at the Frontier air in Dodge Park. The thought was that it would be put to use for the animals at the fair, but that didn't happen and neither did an offer by a radio station to buy it. It was put into storage at Fairmount Park when the Frontier Park buildings were demolished to make way for access ramps for an interstate highway.
The Parks Department decided to honor the city's past in 1970 by re-erecting the fountain at Pearl and South Main Street. However, the fountain became a victim of car accidents (as you can see above!) in a short period of time and it was taken down again and put in storage at the Forestry Division at 19th Street and Second Avenue.
A plan to move it to the lawn of a city jail never materialized and finally, in 1975 the city designated the South Main Street area as Haymarket Square and began redeveloping it with the fountain once again returned to the Pearl and South Main Street intersection, but this time protected by steel posts that you can see in the picture below.
Notice that the original lions heads spouts have been replaced with a different design. Click here to see some earlier coverage of this fountain. For more on the National Humane Alliance Fountains click here. |