History of the 1906 Studebaker Electric Fountain

History of the 1906 Studebaker Electric Fountain. . , The Studebaker Electric Fountain that stands before you, in every shape and form. has been meticulously restored to its original grandeur., In 1876, two prominent gentlemen from different states likely met at the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia. J.M. Studebaker, vice-president of the Studebaker Brothers Manufacturing Company, displayed his new wagon, while John L. Mott, president of J.L. Mott Iron Works of New York, exhibited his elaborate Renaissance-style cast iron fountain. Seemingly, Studebaker was smitten with the fountain and years later, after gaining enough capital, ordered an even more elaborate fountain and had it electrified., On July 21, 1906, the grand electric fountain was unveiled in Howard Park. Showcased with changing lights, classical figures, cherubs riding dolphins, turtles, and topped with a majestic lady, the fountain stood 28 feet tall with a basin 42 feet in diameter. The fountain stood for decades, until 1941 when it was dismantled and thought to have been melted down for scrap. Somehow, in 1941, local residents Mary and John Seiler rescued the top one-third of the fountain, along with many of the turtles and dolphins, and used them as decoration in their family-run golf course along US 20. They later moved the pieces to their private home along the river in Osceola, where it continued to operate as a small fountain. In 2009, the surviving Seiler descendants donated the original pieces to The History Museum in South Bend., In 2016, a committee was formed to raise money to restore and return the fountain to its unique glory. Using original molds, Robinson Iron Corp. fabricated the missing pieces. McKay Lodge Conservation Lab restored the original pieces, even making light bulbs to duplicate the originals. Georgia Fountain Co. designed the water flow and lighting based on the original design. In 2019, thanks to a generous community, our newly restored fountain was returned to South Bend and stands proudly here, in historic Leeper Park.