Bethesda Fountain - New York, NY - American Guide Series on Waymarking.com

Taken from the Smithsonian, "On the top of a two-tiered fountain stands a neoclassical winged figure with an idealized face and heavy form. Her wings are spread apart as she strides forward stirring the waters of Bethesda. She carries a lily, the emblem of purity, in her proper left hand. Four putti figures, personifications of Temperance, Purity, Health, and Peace, surround the shaft below the upper basin. Columns with various types of capitals support the lower basin."

"The northern end of the Mall terminates in a balustrade. Broad steps lead through an arched underpass down to a brick terrace that extends to the Lake. In the center of the Terrace is Bethesda Fountain, the only piece of statuary arranged for in the original plans. Like the ornamented pilasters and balustrades of the stairways and the arcade, the bronze Bethesda wings outspread, was executed by Emma Stebbins after the design by architect J. Wrey Mould. Worn stone, gurgling fountain, and the wooded hillside of the Ramble across the Lake succeed more than any other spot in the park in fulfilling the intent of Olmsted to take the city dweller out of his urban surroundings. The sound of oars in their locks, the flapping wings of waterfowl blend with the cries of children across the Lake and the Ramble, the latter deep with autumn, heavy with winter's snow, or yellow-green with another springs." --- New York City, 1939

Book: New York City Page Number(s) of Excerpt: 353 Year Originally Published: 1939

Visit Instructions:
To log a Visit, please supply an original image of the Waymark.

Recent Visits/Logs:

Date Logged Log User Rating   12/08/2023 stinger503 visited it 12/07/2023 Alfouine visited it 01/07/2023 adenium visited it 09/10/2022 Blanko36 visited it 06/11/2022 childofatom visited it 03/19/2021 bluesnote visited it

View all visits/logs