Buckingham Fountain: then and now

1933 vs 2012 · Chicago, IL

NowThen

Then, 1933A 1933 photograph of the fountain's jets in front of the downtown skyline, taken during the Century of Progress World's Fair year.Photo: Kaufmann & Fabry Co. (Century of Progress official photographers) · Public domain · Source · resized, cropped

Today, 2012Buckingham Fountain in front of the Chicago skyline. Photo from 2012.Photo: Cdurrani · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Source · resized

The story

The fountain was dedicated on August 26, 1927. Kate Sturges Buckingham gave it to the city in memory of her brother Clarence Buckingham.

Edward H. Bennett designed it, and French sculptor Marcel Loyau made the statues. It was inspired by the Latona Fountain at the Palace of Versailles.

The four pairs of sea horses stand for the four states that touch Lake Michigan: Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan and Indiana. The whole fountain stands for the lake. The center jet can reach 150 feet.

Did you know? The fountain holds about 1.5 million gallons and has 193 jets.

Historians argue about this. Wikipedia calls it "one of the largest fountains in the world." Whether it is the largest depends on how you measure, so treat that as a claim, not a record.

Fact or tall tale?

SolidThe sea horses at Buckingham Fountain stand for the four states that touch Lake Michigan.
Wikipedia: four pairs of sea horses for Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan and Indiana.
DisputedBuckingham Fountain is the largest fountain in the world.
Wikipedia says "one of the largest." Rankings depend on what is measured.

Sources

More: Look for historic photos at the Library of Congress

Stamp it in person

Go there, answer the question that only someone standing at Buckingham Fountain can answer, and add the stamp to your passport. Free, no sign-up.

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More in Chicago

Next: Lincoln Park Conservatory. Written from the cited sources, not yet walked on site unless noted.