Independence Square Fountain (Fourth
of July Fountain), 1902
Charles J. Mulligan
Independence Square
Douglas Boulevard, near
14th Street and Independence Boulevard
Surrounded by fencing often laced with garbage, this
fountain has been without water since at least the 1980s and the two bronze
relief panels from the base are missing. The original bronze plaques depicted a
mounted Indian facing colonial troops and the signing of the Declaration of
Independence. The exuberance of the children perched atop a 15-foot granite
base in the shape of the Liberty Bell belies the otherwise depressing condition
of this once grand fountain.
Dressed in turn-of-the-century clothing and
holding Roman candles that once served as sprays for the water, the children
also hold a flag, bugle and drum in honor of old-fashioned Fourth of July
celebrations. Approximately 10,000 people attended the dedication ceremony on
July 4, 1902, which featured a 45-gun salute by the National Guard. Sculptor
Lorado Taft was thrilled about the work, hailing it as the “beginning of real
artistic decoration of public places in Chicago.”
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