Stearns Square - Springfield, MA
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neoc1
N 42° 06.276 W 072° 35.467
18T E 699176 N 4664198
Stearns Square is an urban park located between Bridge Street and Worthington Street in what is now called the Dining District of Springfield, MA.
Waymark Code: WM10TWN
Location: Massachusetts, United States
Date Posted: 06/24/2019
Views: 1
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Stearns Square is located in downtown Springfield. It was the artistic center of the city when it was created in 1887 by the dream team of sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens and architect Sanford White. In 1881, Saint-Gaudens was commissioned by Congressman Chester Chapin to create two bronze sculptures as a gift to the city for Stearns Square - the Turtle Fountain and the Puritan Statue. They were placed on opposite ends of Stearns Square. In the center was a long double sided marble bench. When the area fell into disrepair the statue of the Puritan was moved to its present location in Merrick Park. The Turtle Fountain on the southeast end of Stearns Square was vandalized and became inoperable.
In 2019 the bronze Turtle Fountain was restored to its 1880's appearance. Four sculptured snapping turtles spray a stream of water into the center of a circular basin filled with gravel. In addition, water comes down from the mouths of two fish affixed to a large sphere mounted on a granite base at the southeast end of the fountain.