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The Loop District in Chicago in Cook County, Illinois — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
 

Grant Park

Buckingham Fountain

— Architect: Bennett, Parsons and Frost • Engineer: Jacques Lambert • Sculptor: Marcel François Layau —

 
 
Grant Park Marker image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Barry Swackhamer, August 29, 2011
1. Grant Park Marker
Inscription.
[Decorative features listed left to right; click on marker to enlarge]
Console
Size: 7’-0” high 3’-6” wide 6’-0” deep
Material Pink Marble
The console is a decorative bracket carved as a vertical scroll and projecting from the wall to support the water sculpture. There are 16 total with 8 on the two lower basins.

Shell
Size 2’-9” high 2’-3” wide 1’-10” deep
Material: Pink Marble
The shells are part of the sea life decorative motif and serve to drain the basin above through gravity. The moss carving framing the shell and console is typical of Italian and French Renaissance fountains.

Sea Horse
Size” 7’-6” high 20’-7” long 5’04” deep
Material” Bronze 3/8” thick
1928 Paris Salon first prize winner. These are four male and female pairs of sea horses. The male is distinguished by the “mustache,” the female by articulated webbing in her paws.

Fish Head
Size: 1’-3” high 1’-3” wide 1’-5” deep
Material: Bronze 3/8” thick
The 12 fish heads shoot water up to the upper basins through a concealed water jet. The heads are removed and stored away during the winter.

Cat Tails
Size: 4’-5” high 8’-4” long 7’-4” dia.
Material”
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Bronze 3/8” thick
The cat tails are a decorative feature that conceal some of the lights for the fountain. There are a total of 653 colored lamps which are programmed through a computer to create a ethereal effect.

[English]
Welcome to Buckingham Fountain, the center of Grant Park and its most significant feature. A gift from Kate Buckingham in memory of her brother, it was dedicated in 1927 as the world’s largest decorative fountain. The design is based on the Latona Fountain at Versailles, France. It consists of three Georgia pink marble circular basins of 24’, 60’ and 103’ diameters, sitting on a 280’ wide bottom pool. Together they hold 1,500,000 gallons of water reticulating 14,000 gallons a minute through 133 jets, with the central jet reaching 137 feet in height. The fountain symbolizes Lake Michigan and the four groups of bronze “sea horses” represent the four States around it.

Fountain Water Display Schedule:
Daily May 1 through October 1, 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m.
Major water displays shows from 10:30 a.m. to 6:20 p.m. every two hours on the half hour, for 20 minutes.
Evening Light Show:
A spectacular light show, featuring 15 different color sequences, is shown from 9:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.

[Spanish]
Bienvenido a la Fuente Buckingham, el punto central de Grant Park y su elemento más distinguido.
Grant Park Marker image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Barry Swackhamer, August 29, 2011
2. Grant Park Marker
Un regato de Kate Buckingham en conmemoración (recuerdo) de su hermano, ella fue inauguradoa en 1927 como la fuente decorativa más grande del mundo. Su diseño está insirado por la Fuente Latona del Jardin de Versalles, en Francia. Consiste de tres circulares de má rmol rodado de Georgia con diámetros de 24 pies (7,3 m), 60 pies (18,2 m), y 103 pies (31,4 m), reposando sobre una pileta de 280 pies (85 m) de ancho. Juntas, ellas contienen 1,500,000 galones (5,680,000 l) de agua recirculando 14,000 galons (53,000 l) por cada ninuto a través de 133 surtidores, con el surtidor central alcanzando 137 pies )42 m) de altura. La fuente simbolza el Lago Michigan y los cuatro grupos de “caballitos de mar” de bronce representan los cuatro Estados alrededor. Horario de Exhibición de la Fuente de Agua”
Diariamente, 1˚ de mayo al 1˚ de octubre, de 10:00 a 23:00 horas
Las mayores exhibiciones de agua tienen lugar de 10:30 a 18:30 horas a la media hora, y duran 20 minutos.
Espectácula Nocturno de Luces:
Una exhibición espectacular de luces, presentando 15 distintas secuencias des color, tiene lugar de las 21:00 a las 23:00 horas.

[French]
Bienvenue à la fontaine Buckingham, le point central de Grant Park et son trait la plus distinctif. Cadeau de Kate Buckingham en souvenir de son frère, elle a été inaugurée en 1927 comme étant la fontaine
Buckingham Fountain image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Barry Swackhamer, August 29, 2011
3. Buckingham Fountain
déécorative la plus grand au monde. Sa conception s’est inspirée de la fontaine Laton à Versailles, en France. Elle consiste en trois bassins en marbre rose de Géorgie, d’un diamètre de 7,3 m, 18,2 m et 31,4 m respectivement, reposant sur une piece d’eau plus basse d’une largeur de 85 m. Ensemble ils contiennent 5.680.000 litres d’eau, dont 53.000 circulent en permanence chaque minute à travers 133 jets d’eau, le jet central atteignant une hauteur de presque 42 m. La fontaine symbolise le Lac Michigan et les quatre groupes d’«hippocampes» en bronze représentent les quatre Etats qui l’entourent.
Horaire des jeux d’eau de la fontaine:
Chaque jour, du 1 mai au 1 octobre, de 10 h à 23 h. Les jeus d;eaux les plus spectaculaires on lieu entre 10 h 30 et 18h 30, toutes les deux heures au monent de la demi-heure, pour une durée de 20 minutes.
Spectacle nocturne illuminé:
Une présentation spectculaire illuminée, présentant 15 séquences de couleurs différentes a lieu entre 21 h et 23h.

[German]
Herzlick Willkommen zum Buckingham-Brunnen, dem Mittlelpukt und Wahrzeichen des Grant-Park. Er ist eine Stiftung von Kate Buckingham em Andenken ihres Bruders, und als der Springbrunnen 1927 eingeweiht wurde, war er der gröβteZierbrunnem der Welt. Er ist dem Latone-Brunnen von Versaailles nachempfunden. Die drei rosafarbenen Marmorschalen aus dem Bundesstaat
Buckingham Fountain image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Barry Swackhamer, August 29, 2011
4. Buckingham Fountain
Georgia haben einen Durchmesser von jeweils 7,3 m, 18,2 m und 31.4 m und sie stzen en einem Brunnenbecken, das selbst 85 Meter miβt. Zusammen fassen sie fast sechs Millionen Liter Wasser. Durch die 133 Düsen sprühen 53,000 liter pro Minute, wobei der mittlere Wasserstrahl eine Höhe von 42 Metern erreicht. Der Burnnen is ein Symbol für Lake Michigan, und die vier “Seepferde”-Gruppen aus Bronze crinnern an die vier angrenzenden Brundesstaaten. Öffnungszeiten des Springbrunnens:
1. Mai bis 1. Oktober, 10.00 – 23.00 Uhr.
Zwischen 10.30 und 18.30 Uhr findet alle zwei Stunden die groβe Vorführung des Springbrunnens statt. Sie dauert 20 Minuten.
Lichter am Abend:
Zwischen 21.00 und 23.00 Uhr wird der Brunnen von 15 spektakulä”ren Frabsequenzen beleuchtet.
 
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Landmarks. A significant historical date for this entry is May 1, 1925.
 
Location. 41° 52.54′ N, 87° 37.224′ W. Marker is in Chicago, Illinois, in Cook County. It is in The Loop District. Marker is at the intersection of South Columbia Drive and East Congress Parkway on South Columbia Drive. Buckingham Fountain is located in the center of Grant Park. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 511 South Columbia Drive, Chicago IL 60605, United States of America. Touch for directions.
 
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Auditorium Building (approx. 0.2 miles away); Fine Arts Building
Buckingham Fountain at night image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Barry Swackhamer, August 29, 2011
5. Buckingham Fountain at night
(approx. 0.2 miles away); Bertha Van Hoosen, M.D. (approx. 0.2 miles away); Historic Michigan Boulevard (approx. ¼ mile away); Blackstone Hotel (approx. 0.3 miles away); a different marker also named Auditorium Building (approx. 0.3 miles away); Brunswick Corporation Headquarters (approx. 0.3 miles away); a different marker also named Historic Michigan Boulevard (approx. 0.3 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Chicago.
 
 
Credits. This page was last revised on January 30, 2023. It was originally submitted on September 27, 2011, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California. This page has been viewed 883 times since then and 15 times this year. Photos:   1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on September 27, 2011, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.

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Apr. 25, 2024