The fountains of Grand Circus Park are gushing once more. Thanks to the efforts of the Downtown Detroit Partnership, the two historic fountains have updated innards and new linings. It's unclear exactly how many years the fountains had been out of order, though we can't imagine Detroit had "fountain restoration" near the top of its to-do list. Let's talk history: Did you know that the Alger Fountain features Michigan in the form of a female warrior? She's got a sword and everything.
Anchoring the park's western half, the Edison Fountain was brought to Detroit in 1929. As you probably guessed, the limestone fountain honors Thomas Edison, pal of Henry Ford. Fun fact: Detroit bought the fountain used -- apparently from a city on the east coast -- and reassembled it in its present location. President Herbert Hoover attended the dedication ceremony. Read more details on Examiner.
The eastern side of the park features the Russell Alger Memorial Fountain, which was unveiled in 1921. While Alger himself was a former governor, the fountain's bronze statue is a female figure representing the state of Michigan. She's seven feet tall, has the state seal on her shield, and looks quite capable of kicking ass. More historic deets are found at Historic Detroit. (UPDATE: Commenters claim this fountain was working last summer, though it was recently repaired.)
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