Turtle Boy Statue - Worcester, MA
Posted by: 
neoc1
N 42° 15.680 W 071° 48.017
19T E 269029 N 4682589
The Turtle Boy Statue is located at the southern end of the Worcester Common.
Waymark Code: WMD09G
Location: Massachusetts, United States
Date Posted: 11/01/2011
Views: 9
The Turtle Boy Statue is part of the Burnside Fountain. It's a controversial piece of public art on the southern tip of the Worcester Common. Some love it while others abhor it. It was originally located in Central Square and moved to Worcester Common in 1969.
The fountain was a gift, accepted on April 6, 1904, to the City of Worcester from Harriet Burnside. Five thousand dollars was provided and Daniel Chester French commissioned to execute the work. He then he assigned the project to Charles Harvey. Sherry Edmundson Fry completed the work upon the death of Harvey. Henry Bacon designed the granite basin.
A young nude boy is in a squatting position. A hawksbill turtle is positioned on his lap and he is holding the turtle, behind the turtle's front flippers, by its shell. The impression is that he allowing the turtle to take him for a ride. The turtle is tilting to the right and it's mouth is open.
The pair are placed upon a small circular base in the center of a rectangular fountain basin. At both ends of the basin are a pair of bowls meant to be watering troughs for horses. A low bowl on the back of the basin was meant for dogs. At one time water would flow out of the turtles mouth, into a central depression and into the four bowls.
The water supply is disconnected.
The front of the basin is inscribed:
THE GIFT OF HARRIET P. F. BURNSIDE
A.D. MCMVII