Located in Cincinnati, Ohio, the Tyler Davidson Fountain was created in 1871, standing roughly 43 feet tall.
Located in the downtown area, this fountain has become the symbol of the city. At the top of the fountain stands a woman who is nine feet tall, with her arms outstretched. She is representing the “genius of water”. Water glides from her hands, rippling over the rest of the fountain. There are four adult males below the female, demonstrating how water maintains life. Four figures of children are also represented, showing how water is simply enjoyed. The relief panel decorating the base of the fountain explains the industrial periods of water. On each side of the lower tier there are drinking spouts that were used by pedestrians in the late 1800s.
The fountain was commissioned by Henry Probasco, a world traveler and the brother in law of Davidson, as a memorial to him. Probasco went to Germany to find an artist, who could create the kind of fountain he had in mind. He persuaded the artist and designer, August von Kreling, to make the fountain. He is known for many famous fountains in Europe. Kreling worked with another artist, Ferdinand von Miller, on this fountain.
The Tyler Davidson fountain is turned off during the winter months, and reopens each year in April for the first home game of the Cincinnati Reds. You can find a model of the fountain in the Cincinnati Art Museum, and the original is located in Fountain Square at Fifth and Vine Street. This fountain is the most visited fountain in the US, as well as the oldest monument in Cincinnati. It is a reminder to the role of water, and the importance fountains have played in the building of American cities, like Cincinnati.
