The Gulf Cloud -- Fair Park, Dallas TX
N 32° 46.844 W 096° 45.923
14S E 709285 N 3629189
The Gulf Cloud fountain is one of those things at Fair Park that you see all your life but don't know anything about until you start waymarking.
Waymark Code: WMV19F
Location: Texas, United States
Date Posted: 02/06/2017
Views: 5
I (Mama Blaster) have been coming to Fair Park since 1983, for Texas-OU football games and New Years's Day Southwest Conference bowl games in the Cotton Bowl (I saw the Longhorns lose thre 1983 natioanl Championship there), for the State Fair, bringing kids on visits to the Aquarium and all the museums, a Bug Cuisine event at the Horticulture Center, birthday parties, 5K fun runs, and more other events and times than I can even count.
Every time I come to Fair Park I see this fountain, which is very pretty (and usually dry). Until I read about it in the WPA guide, I had no idea what it was.
The WPA writers must have been dazzled by Fair Park: They spent several pages detailing its attractions.
The Gulf Cloud is in an expanse of green lawn located along Parry Road between the Fair Park Music Hall (The WPA writers called it the Auditorium) and the Texas Vietnam Veteran's Memorial on the western edge of Fair Park.
From Texas: A Guide to the Lone Star State:
"SYDNEY SMITH MEMORIAL FOUNTAIN, commonly called the Gulf Cloud, was executed by Clyde Chandler, Dallas sculptor, and stands in
a circular plot of grass and flowers in front of the auditorium. Sydney Smith for 26 years was secretary of the State Fair of Texas."
A small plaque at the fountain reads as follows:
"THE GULF CLOUD
Erected 1916
in memory of
CAPT. SIDNEY SMITH
First Secretary State Fair of Texas
From 18886 to 1912
Designed by Miss Clyde Chandler
Sculptress"
Book: Texas
Page Number(s) of Excerpt: 240
Year Originally Published: 1940
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