Waterfront Fountain
| Waterfront Fountain | |
|---|---|
.jpg) The fountain in 2010 | |
| Artist | |
| Year | 1974 |
| Condition | Restored |
| Location | Seattle, Washington, U.S. |
| 47°36′23″N 122°20′29″W / 47.606464°N 122.341499°W | |
Waterfront Fountain is an outdoor 1974 fountain and sculpture by James FitzGerald and Margaret Tomkins, installed along Alaskan Way in Seattle, in the U.S. state of Washington.[1][2][3] The fountain is located near the Seattle Aquarium at Waterfront Park on Pier 58.[4][5]
History
FitzGerald created several fountains for parks around the Seattle area, including one at the Seattle Center for the Century 21 Exposition in 1962. He was commissioned to design a fountain for the new Waterfront Park, but died in 1973 before work was finalized.[6] The project had been funded by a $75,000 donation from Helen Martha Schiff.[7] Following his death in 1973, his widow Margaret Tomkins lead the effort to complete the fountain's design.[8] It was completed alongside the park and adjacent to the aquarium in October 1974.[4][9]
In 2019, construction began on a revamp of a portion of Seattle's waterfront.[10] On September 13, 2020, the central portion of Pier 58 collapsed during early demolition work following the discovery of extensive structural issues. The structural integrity of the pier had been compromised by a combination of the environment and the supports for the fountain failing. The fountain, weighing 4 tons, fell into the water along with two contractors who were working on the demolition.[11] Divers retrieved the fountain from the sea during the cleanup process.[12]
A rebuilt Pier 58 with a restored Waterfront Fountain opened to the public on July 25, 2025.[13] The fountain, now located at the southeast corner of the pier, received a new finish and new plumbing.[5]
See also
References
- ^ "Waterfront Fountain". Public Art Archive. November 23, 2012. Retrieved February 18, 2019.
- ^ "Seattle good will keeps on flowing with fountain". The Seattle Times. February 19, 2011. Archived from the original on February 18, 2019. Retrieved February 18, 2019.
- ^ "Walking tours" (PDF). www.seattle.gov. Archived (PDF) from the original on November 24, 2019. Retrieved February 18, 2019.
- ^ a b "Seattle Arts Commission meets to review last public-sculpture fountain by James FitzGerald and Margaret Tomkins on March 5, 1974". HistoryLink. Archived from the original on March 30, 2019. Retrieved February 18, 2019.
- ^ a b "Explore Seattle's New Waterfront". waterfrontseattle.org. Retrieved August 10, 2025.
- ^ "James FitzGerald, Seattle sculptor, dies". The Seattle Times. October 9, 1973. p. D14.
- ^ "Funds received for fountain". The Seattle Times. July 24, 1973. p. A9.
- ^ Farr, Sheila (March 22, 2002). "Outspoken Seattle painter Margaret Tomkins dies". The Seattle Times. p. B1. Archived from the original on February 18, 2019. Retrieved February 17, 2019.
- ^ Lane, Polly (October 20, 1974). "City dedicates its waterfront park Friday". The Seattle Times. p. E1.
- ^ "Construction Overview". waterfrontseattle.org. Retrieved August 10, 2025.
- ^ Silverman, Hollie (September 13, 2020). "2 injured after Seattle pier partially collapses, sending workers into the water". CNN. Archived from the original on April 10, 2016. Retrieved September 13, 2020.
{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires|journal=(help) - ^ communities. (September 27, 2022). "Seattle's new Pier 58 will include massive jellyfish, classic bronze fountain". The Seattle Times. Retrieved August 10, 2025.
- ^ "Opening date set for Seattle's Pier 58, a new park". The Seattle Times. July 10, 2025. Retrieved August 10, 2025.
External links
- Waterfront Fountain – Seattle, Washington at Waymarking
