Fountain of the Great Lakes - Chicago, IL - Fountains on Waymarking.com

In this bronze work of art created, (Lake) Superior, at the top, and Michigan empty their water into the basin held by Huron, who sends her stream on to Erie. Ontario receives water and gazes off as it flows into the ocean. Completed in 1913, the fountain sits in the south wing of the Art Institute of Chicago.

The idea for a Great Lakes fountain came from a remark made by architect Daniel Burnham at the Columbian Exposition in 1893. Burnham chided the sculptors assembled to ornament the fairgrounds for not "making anything" of the great natural resources in the west, especially the Great Lakes.

The fountain was originally installed facing south where it remained until 1963 when it was moved next to the Morton Wing addition facing west where it sits today. The fountain was commissioned by Benjamin Ferguson, a Chicago patron of sculpture arts, and one surface references the title B. F. Ferguson Fountain of the Great Lakes. Apparently, there is a relief sculpture of Benjamin Ferguson on the rear panel that has been hidden from view since the fountain was moved.

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Date Logged Log User Rating   01/14/2023 cichalm visited it 07/15/2017 nsaj visited it 11/08/2015 Castor007 visited it 01/02/2013 Go Boilers! visited it 06/20/2011 Metro2 visited it 09/19/2009 honeychile visited it 09/19/2009 The Blue Quasar visited it 09/19/2009 hidnseek visited it 11/19/2008 kollector visited it 09/09/2008 N9YBK visited it 06/24/2006 michael3900 visited it

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