Joseph Rosenberg Fountain

Joseph Rosenberg (1848-1891) worked as a newsboy in Chicago. During hot summers, local business owners would refuse to give water to the newsboys that worked out in the sun all day. Rosenberg vowed that if he ever became wealthy, he would build a fountain for all to drink from. After making his fortune in San Francisco many years later, he gave $10,000 for a fountain to be built in the south side of the city. It would be placed near the southwest corner of Grant Park, near Rosenberg’s childhood home. The fountain was design by Bauer & Hill and featured a miniature Greek temple. The fountain was also illuminated. In 2004, the fountain was restored by the Chicago Park District and a bronze sculpture was placed atop the temple. The sculpture depicted Hebe, the daughter of Zeus and Hera, and the Goddess of Youth and the Cupbearer of the Gods. Presently, the fountain no longer spouts drinkable water. My experience at the Rosenberg Fountain was relatively calm. The fountain is set along the sidewalk the Grant Park side of Michigan Avenue. Since it is placed behind the tree line, the fountain is easily missed or ignored by the casual passerby. However, the fountain is close enough to the street to still clearly hear and see the city around it. While looking towards the street, the vertical aspect of the fountain draws the eye upwards towards the tall buildings surrounding the park. When looking at the fountain from the street, however, the viewer sees flat, green expanse of the park. Many people walked past the fountain while traversing the park, including a small dog who curiously sniffed around the fountain’s base. Upon getting closer to the fountain the sounds of the busy city are joined by the calming sounds of rippling water. The fountain was meant to be a place for the people of Chicago to rest and rejuvenate during their busy days. The fountain still keeps this aspect today, as Chicagoans and tourists rest under the shade of a nearby tree, splash water on their faces, or even take a drink from the water fount