Hebe Fountain - Court Square - Memphis, TN
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Lat34North
N 35° 08.764 W 090° 03.108
15S E 768589 N 3893221
This fountain is located in the center of a small, tree shaded, park in Downtown Memphis. It is the only remaining park of the 4 original municipal parks laid out by the city planners in 1819.
Waymark Code: WMT89P
Location: Tennessee, United States
Date Posted: 10/13/2016
Views: 2
This fountain is located in the center of a small, tree shaded, park in Downtown Memphis. Today the park is listed on the National Register of Historic Markers. There and many benches in the park, there is a Gazebo on the north side of the park. There are several historic markers near by. The park is on N Main St between S Court St and N Court St.
The web site “Memphis Court Square” gives the following information (link below)
“In 1876 the Hebe Fountain, donated to the City by some prominent city leaders, was erected in the center of the park. In Greek mythology Hebe was the Cupbearer to the Gods. Memphians have enjoyed the fountain, practically non-stop since it was dedicated. The light display at night is especially beautiful. Hard to image but there's one drowning associated with the fountain.
“Originally the basin of the fountain was 6 1/2 feet deep, stocked with cat fish and turtles, and no fence. In 1884, 10 year old Claude Pugh, sitting on the edge, leaned too far and tumbled in. The sloped edges were slippery from algae and he couldn't regain his footing. Incredibly, the park was filled with visitors and no one made an effort to save him. After struggling for several minutes, he slipped beneath the surface. The Memphis Daily Appeal reported "Stalwart men stood silently by with staring eyes and gaping mouths. Their hearts must have been made of stone, and the milk of human kindness in their beasts sour whey. More consideration would have been given a dumb beast"
“The fountain is made of cast iron and is 20 feet high, with a diameter of 35 feet and weighs 7000 pounds. It is a copy after the great Italian sculptor Antonio Canova. In 1932 a movement was started to remove the fountain from Court Square (Hebe is nude from the waist up), but their efforts didn't succeed. In 1942, the statue was toppled in a wind storm and in 1949 re-erected after restoration. In 1957, the fish were changed back from goldfish to catfish but so many were stolen that the fish were taken out altogether. In 1980, the fountain was completely renovated.”
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