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Cape Girardeau Fountain Park

Fountain Park Trail, Cape Girardeau, Missouri May 29, 2021

We love Cape Girardeau Fountain Park. It is located across the street from the City's treatment plant on Cape Rock Drive. We love it mostly because hubby's Grandpa, Pearl Cornelius Kent, during the depression he worked for W.P.A. (Works Progress Administration) constructing and maintaining Fountain Park on East Cape Rock Drive in Cape Girardeau, which is today across from the water purification plant. The park was built in 1931 as a project of the Better Service Club of Missouri Utilities Co. employees. Read more below.

There is a one mile trail behind the fountain. We had trouble finding the whole trail, so if someone knows where we went wrong, please let me know. I wish there were a map to this trail and the City would maintain the trail itself better.

Fountain Park Ice Blob, Cape Girardeau January 6, 2018

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If you visit Fountain Park when it is cold enough, the water drips down and forms a blob. If you live in the area, it sure is a fun thing to watch out for to take a quick local trip.

PHOTO SECTION

Fountain Park May 29, 2021

I read on social media that know one knows who cares for the goldfish in the water. They appear and disappear. Someone takes them home over the winter and then puts them back. Some years they are there and some years not.

This is as you start down the trail.

Fountain Park Ice Blob, Cape Girardeau January 6, 2018

These are my favorite photos of Fountain Park.

Blue sky and an ice blob. How much more fun can you get with that?

Note the droplets of water because the fountain is running.

I love this one!

Fountain Park November 11, 2017

A visit to the park in Autumn is gorgeous.

Fountain Park 2006

The image says 2007, but it is in my 2006 folder because the date on the camer was wrong. That happens to me a lot it seems. Glad they don't stamp dates anymore!

There was no big blob of ice as it seems the fountain is turned off, but there were sheets of ice.

Look we found a heart shape!

 

 

Article from the May 21, 1931 Southeast Missourian

Park to Be Central Feature in Beautification at Water Plant

A project of the Better Service Club, composed of 60 employees of the Missouri Utilities Co. in Cape Girardeau, Chaffee and Illmo, under construction at the site of the new water plant at Cape Rock, might well be described as one outstanding example of good taste in landscaping and beautification in this city.

Within a short time the project will be completed and ready for inspection by the public. Situated on the brow of a wooded ravine just north of the site to be occupied by the new $250,000 water plant, the rock garden and its central fountain figure forms an attractive background to the woodland.

This garden was built for the employees by Judge I.R. Kelso of the Utilities company, but not included as a part of the plan involving the erection of the water plant and reconstruction of the street lighting system. The cost of lighting the place and planting it to flower and shrubbery will be borne by the employees, who also will maintain the project.

Has Electric Fountain

A feature of this garden spot is an electric fountain, the only one of its kind as far as is known in Southern Missouri. Four huge stone pillars form an entrance to the small park, two of the pillars being located at each end of the park and containing an ornamental lamp, and two others forming the support for a proposed illuminated sign.

Around the fountain and pool are located two plots for planting flowers and shrubbery. This summer flowers will be planted to perennials.

The large pool, including the fountain, forms the central structure of the garden. The entire garden is bounded by an attractive design of stone arranged in a tasteful manner under the supervision of Tony Haas. Around the edge of the large pool a walk has been constructed, leading from the entrance, and on the inside of the walk is a concrete, rock and brick trough for water planting. The fountain will be a bowl-shaped affair, with a circular spray which can be regulated to a diameter of from seven to 70 feet. A center spray will be forced about 20 feet high.

Night Illumination

Around the base of the fountain beneath the water surface a sealed case containing lights of seven different colors will be arranged to give a vari-colored illumination to the sprays from the fountain, forming a beautiful spectacle at night. Four floodlights concealed in the entrance pillars will also play on the fountain. Electric cables are being arranged so as to afford a changeable color scheme in the lighting.

North of the pool will be a sundial and a crystal ball also will be included in the arrangement. A pleasing feature of the beautification plans is the retaining of much of the native growth of the site. A large tree and smaller trees have been left growing at advantageous points in the garden.

It is the plan of the employees to landscape an adjacent plot of ground to the park and provide a recreation center which will include tennis courts and other similar facilities.


Copyright Cheryl Rutledge-Brennecke
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