TThe Skidmore Fountain was the first piece of public art in Portland. A recognized masterpiece of its own time, it was also the first gift to the City of Portland. The Oregonian hailed it as probably the most beautiful work of its kind in America.
The fountain was named for Stephen Skidmore who left $5,000 in his will, to be used to erect a fountain that would serve as a central meeting place to grace downtown Portland. He wanted a place where people, dogs and horses could have a cool drink.
An additional $13,000 was raised by friends and the fountain was dedicated in 1888, 5 years after Skidmore’s death. The fountain is 14 feet tall with an 8 foot bronze basin which appears to be supported by two classical female figures.
Who was Stephen Skidmore?
Stephen arrived in Portland at the age of 11 in 1850. As a boy he helped support his family by delivering copies of The Oregonian newspaper. Later he learned the pharmacy business by working at a drug store just one block from the Fountain site. After going to San Francisco to study medicine, he became a druggist and in 1867 he opened his own store.
Skidmore was a member of the prestigious Volunteer Fire Department, a City Commissioner, and one of the representatives chosen by the Governor to attend the 1878 Paris World’s Fair. It was in Paris that he began thinking of a fountain for Portland.
Inscription on Fountain: “Good Citizens Are The Riches Of A City”
CES Wood, a friend of Skidmore, provided the inscription, & procured the sculptor,a friend from his time living in NYC.
Where did horses, dogs and people drink?
Animals could drink from the basins. People used four cups that were chained to the pool wall where they could be filled by water from the lions’ mouths. The cups were later removed as the threat of “germs” came to be understood. The buttons of the posts can still be seen today. Notice the large rocks embedded around the fountain. They were to prevent horses and wagons from crashing into the fountain.
Why is the fountain in this location?
The area now known as Ankeny Plaza was once the heart of the city. This was the location of key business and significant buildings because of its proximity to the
waterfront docks and markets. It was the center of the city’s social and commercial life.
Why is the fountain still here, far from the heart of the City?
Businesses began to drift away from this area due to floods and the expansion of the city to the west where more land was available. The neighborhood has experienced both good times and bad over the years. The Fountain was neglected at times. However, the efforts to move it to “more elegant surroundings” have rightly been resisted. It remains as a magnet, drawing people not only to itself but to its historic place in the city. The Fountain stands on its authentic and rightful place.
Today, the area is protected as the Skidmore Old Town Historic District. As a Historic District, existing buildings and features must be preserved. New buildings are limited in height and are encouraged to reflect the character of the historic neighborhood.
Other interesting stories about the fountain
Fountain of beer? At the fountain’s dedication ceremony, Henry Weinhard, owner of a local brewery, offered to have fresh beer fill the fountain; the city leaders respectfully declined his kind offer due to the animals.
Fountain Jealously
When it was built, the Skidmore Fountain received national attention. It was even called the finest fountain on the West Coast. Some even thought it was too good for Portland. East Coast People were amazed that a young city had such an elegant piece of art.
It was too fine a piece of art for the appreciation of Western rustics or a “city with its bewhiskered, bepistoled lot of frontiersmen.” .
Source: New York Tribune commenting on the Skidmore Fountain (dedicated Sept. 22, 1888)
Architect: H.M. Wells
Sculptor: Olin L. Warner
Suggested Discussion:
Do you know any good citizens? Describe what it means to be a good citizen?
Teachers, guides, firefighters, Stephen Skidmore.
Vocabulary: citizen, pharmacist, newspaper
State Education Standards:
Social Studies 3.11. Describe how individuals, groups, events, and developments have shaped the communities and regions. Historical Knowledge
Social Studies 3.12. Compare and contrast the history of the local community to other communities in the region. Historical Knowledge
Social Studies 3.17. Use a variety of historical sources (artifacts, pictures, documents) to identify factual evidence. Historical Thinking
VA:Re7.1.3a. Speculate about processes an artist used to create a work of art. Visual Arts Responding
VA:Re8.1.3a. Interpret art by referring to contextual information and analyzing subject matter, form, and materials. Visual Arts