Chiming Fountain

Chiming Fountain
The fountain in 2006
Map
ArtistJohn "Hans" Staehli
Year1891 (1891)
Type
  • Fountain
  • sculpture
Medium
  • Cast iron
  • bronze
  • concrete
Dimensions3.7 m (12 ft); 2.1 m diameter (7 ft)
Condition"Treatment urgent" (1994)
LocationPortland, Oregon, United States
Coordinates45°31′16″N 122°42′10″W / 45.5212389°N 122.7026508°W / 45.5212389; -122.7026508
OwnerCity of Portland's Metropolitan Arts Commission

The Chiming Fountain, also known as Cupid's Fountain,[1] the John Staehli Fountain, Portland's City Park Fountain and Washington Park Fountain,[2][3] is an outdoor cast iron fountain and sculpture built in 1891 by John "Hans" Staehli. It is installed in Washington Park in Portland, Oregon, United States. The fountain's name derives from the sound made when water drips from the upper basin. Staehli designed the fountain to serve as a watering trough for horses pulling carriages into the park. Based on a Renaissance fountain, it was originally painted white and included a statuette of a boy, possibly depicting Cupid, though the figure was damaged and permanently removed from the sculpture before or during the 1940s.

The fountain was restored in 1960, but no longer functioned. Its condition was deemed "treatment urgent" by the Smithsonian Institution's "Save Outdoor Sculpture!" program in February 1994. Since then, its water-pumping function has also been restored. Chiming Fountain has been included in published biking and walking tours of Portland and has been mentioned as a highlight of Washington Park in guides recommending family-friendly activities in the city.

  1. ^ Foster, Laura O. (2014). Portland Hill Walks: 24 Explorations in Parks and Neighborhoods. Timber Press. p. 100. ISBN 9781604693256. Retrieved November 30, 2014.
  2. ^ "Washington Park Fountain, (sculpture)". Art Inventories Catalog. Smithsonian Institution. Archived from the original on December 6, 2014. Retrieved November 30, 2014.
  3. ^ Jewell, Judy; McRae, W. C. (May 6, 2014). Moon Oregon. Avalon Travel. p. 86. ISBN 9781612388434. Retrieved December 1, 2014.[permanent dead link]