Ansonia in New Haven County, Connecticut — The American Northeast (New England)
Anna Sewell Memorial Fountain
Halfway up the column, on the street side, is inscribed:
Anna Sewell
Author Of
“Black Beauty”
Erected 1891.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Animals • Arts, Letters, Music • Women.
Location. 41° 20.721′ N, 73° 4.614′ W. Marker is in Ansonia, Connecticut, in New Haven County. Marker is at the intersection of South Cliff Street and Cottage Avenue, on the right when traveling south on South Cliff Street. Located "in the shadow of the nearby library.". Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 53 South Cliff Street, Ansonia CT 06401, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. In Memory of Warren J. Carver (approx. 0.2 miles away); Ansonia Veterans Memorial (approx. 0.2 miles away); Ansonia Veterans Monument (approx. 0.2 miles away); Charter Oak Seedling (approx. 0.2 miles away); Ansonia Volunteer Firemen’s Monument (approx. 0.2 miles away); Soldiers Monument (approx. half a mile away); Pork Hollow (approx. 0.7 miles away); Ansonia (approx. 0.9 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Ansonia.
More about this marker. George Keller was the architect of the library and it is presumed that he drew plans for the fountain as part of that commission. Although the basin is inscribed with the date 1891, library records indicate fountain was done June 9, 1892, which is the same date the library was dedicated.
Regarding Anna Sewell Memorial Fountain. Miss Caroline Phelps Stokes, wealthy granddaughter of Anson Greene Phelps, the man who founded Ansonia, wished to make a benefaction to the town. In 1891, she traveled from New York to supervise the construction of a building designed for her by architect George Keller. The structure - a library - was dedicated on June 9, 1892 but sat vacant for four years until the town administrators voted the annual $1,500 appropriation for the library's operating expenses.
Miss Stokes was a life member of the American Humane Education Society, and her love of horses inspired her to supplement her gift of Ansonia's library building with a public drinking fountain. Located in the shadow of the library, the fountain was placed in memory of Anna Sewell, author of the novel, “Black Beauty” who died in 1878. The fountain, "with water flowing constantly," had a trough on the street side for horses, and a small basin on the library side "from which the human family may quench their thirst."
Also see . . . Our dumb animals, Volumes 24-25. There is an article about the Anna Sewell Memorial Fountain in this magazine, originally published in November 1891 by the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and the American Humane Education Society. (Submitted on December 22, 2009, by Kevin W. of Stafford, Virginia.)
Credits. This page was last revised on November 8, 2019. It was originally submitted on December 14, 2009, by Michael Herrick of Southbury, Connecticut. This page has been viewed 1,731 times since then and 47 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on December 14, 2009, by Michael Herrick of Southbury, Connecticut. 2. submitted on April 17, 2010, by Dave Pelland of Milford, Connecticut. 3. submitted on December 14, 2009, by Michael Herrick of Southbury, Connecticut. • Kevin W. was the editor who published this page.