Indianapolis, IN

We have finally been able to able to find a picture of the fountain given to Indianapolis and it turns out that it was one of the most ornate as you can see above. Click here to see the newspaper coverage of the gift to Indianapolis. We already knew that Mayor Bookwater was informed of the gift by Lewis Seaver of the National Humane Alliance in 1907. The mayor and the Indianapolis Humane Society and the city engineer, Blaine H. Miller decided on the location and that it was received and erected in September 1909 at Vermont Street and Senate Avenue.

By October, the Indianapolis start proclaimed the the fountain was a "boon to horses" and popular among drivers, but within a decade things had changed. By 1916, the board of works had determined that the fountain had become a danger to traffic and the fire department had asked that it be moved.

Steve Barnett from Indianapolis has helped us with information that the city was looking to move the fountain to a new location at Fountain Square, but the Humane Society's board of directors opposed the move as a violation of the original agreement with the National Humane Alliance. George Gaston, a member of the Board of Works reported that the Humane Society had agreed to the move. However a delegation from the Society visited with Mayor Bell to protest and he said that he would investigate their complaint - and that is the last they we have heard of the fountain. We don't know if or when the fountain was moved, but we do know that it is not there today.

So if you have a picture or any other information to add to this story, please let us know.

Posted November 13, 2019 - May 4, 2024