[MassHistPres] Historic fountains

[Chris Kennedy]

Your post is quite timely.  I recently have been doing research on  
cast iron fountains and their restoration for a committee charged  
with memorializing the former Northampton State hospital.  A cast  
iron fountain installed in 1876 (since removed to storage) is the  
center piece of our efforts.  Below is what I have come upon to  
present.  If the list server rejects any of the links you are welcome  
to email me off list to obtain them.  My email is:  e-modern at comcast.net

Three cities which have embarked on fountain restorations are:  
Vernon, CT, Rochester, NY, and Chicago, IL.  There is also a New  
Zealand organization that while potentially hard to contact does have  
an interesting web site which lays out their process.
Vernon, CT   http://www.rockvillect.com/Cogswell/fountain.htm
Rochester, NY   http://www.ci.rochester.ny.us/mayor/NewsReleases/ 
index.cfm?release=2181
Chicago, IL  I don't have a link but a news release states that the  
contact person (as of October 2001) is Terry Levin at 312.744.9277  
and concerns the Wicker Park fountain restoration project of 2001 by  
the Public Building Commission (PBC), Eileen Carey executive director  
at that time.

Chicago's research traced the original maker as J.L. Mott Ironworks  
(see below).  The original plans, along with other plans and original  
catalogs, were purchased by the Robinson Iron Works of Alexander  
City, Alabama.  They are still very much in business specializing in  
architectural metal work and historic restoration. Their Vice  
President and General Manager, Scott Howell, is a specialist in  
restoration and has authored a number of articles on the subject.  
Their web site link is:
http://www.robinsoniron.com/index.html

The two major American firms which seemed to dominate the Victorian  
cast iron market were J.W. Fisk and J.L. Mott, both of New York.   
There is an excellent article on the history of Fisk.  The link is:    
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1026/is_3_157/ai_60370500

The Old House Journal Online has a brief but interesting article on  
cast iron fountains and seating in general:
http://www.oldhousejournal.com/magazine/2006/june/garden-ornaments.shtml

I hope this helps.  Good luck with your project.  We would welcome  
added info you might come up with.  Our contact person is Peg Keller  
Senior Planner and liason to our memorialization committee and  
Historical Commission.  Her email is pkeller at northamptonma.gov
You are also welcome to contact myself as well.

Best,
chris kennedy
Chair, Northampton Historical Commission
e-modern at comcast.net

On Jan 25, 2007, at 11:53 AM, MFurber at aol.com wrote:
> To all, a few introductions are in order as I have never posted on  
> this list.
> My name is Jeff Furber and I am a member of Hopkinton Community  
> Preservation
> Comm, we are in the process of restoring and reparing our historic,  
> circa
> 1907, cast iron water fountain..
> Our project is to have a casting made of one of the missing tiers,  
> have the
> fountain re-welded, sandblasted and painted and hopefully find  
> funds to put in
> water and a recirculating pump.
>
> I have been trying to locate different towns that have undertaken  
> similar
> projects and speak to the committees for ideas and guidance.
>
> So my question is , is there a list of town's in MA. that have  
> historic
> fountains.  Thanks Jeff Furber
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