Barlow’s Memorial Drinking Fountain

Location: Barlow, Oregon, USA

Samuel Kimbrough Barlow, the patriarch of the Barlow family, was a pioneer in 1845 who established Barlow Road, part of the Oregon Trail which improved the journey of wagons crossing the Cascade Mountain Range. He was appointed Justice of the Peace and purchased land which eventually became the town of Barlow.

His son, William, mapped the town and built the family mansion where he planted an avenue of black walnut trees. He was associated with the organization of the state fair, the first woolen mill in Oregon, and the first telegraph line.

The cast iron drinking fountain located on Main Street at the intersection of Washington and Harvard Streets in Brookline Village (officially called Harvard Square) was donated to the City of Barlow in 1904 by Mary Susannah Barlow as a tribute to her parents; William who died in 1904 and Martha who died in 1901.

Status 1957. Source: http://photos.salemhistory.net/cdm/ref/collection/max/id/4455

In 1957 Barlow City Council wanted to remove the old fountain; however at the request of W.B. Tull, a grandson of Martha Ann Barlow, the city was encouraged to restore it.

Source: http://www.smalltownoregon.com/05northwillamette/barlow.html

The fountain is seated on an octagonal stone plinth. Dates engraved on the stone indicate the year of death of Mary’s beloved parents: 1901 Barlow / 1904 Barlow. The octagonal base hosts a trough for dogs at ground level, and above eight sides offer panels for dedication.

Source: http://www.waymarking.com/waymarks/WM3ZPR_Historic_Barlow_Fountain_serving_man_horse_and_dog

Source: http://www.waymarking.com/waymarks/WM3ZPR_Historic_Barlow_Fountain_serving_man_horse_and_dog

The pedestal narrows above a cornice with attic base. A large fluted trough is situated on one side of the pedestal with a smaller basin on the opposite side for use by humans. The pedestal is enriched with bas-relief decoration, and the capital supports a four sided cavetto finial surmounted by an orb.

Source: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/7094435/william-barlow#view-photo=51158544

A nearby marker details the history of the drinking fountain:
Barlow’s Fountain
The historic Barlow fountain was donated to the City of Barlow in 1904 by Mary Susannah Barlow as a tribute to her parents who platted the city in 1891.
William Barlow-son of Susannah Lee and Samuel Kimbrough Barlow pioneer of 1845 and builder of The Barlow Road.
Martha Ann Partlow Barlow – the generous hostess of their family mansion, now known as the historic William Barlow House. This family home remains on the original Barlow DLC site on Hwy 99E, looking south from this marker.
The dates engraved on the base of the Fountain indicate the year of death of Mary’s beloved parents: 1901-Martha Ann Barlow and 1904-William Barlow.
The fountain has 3 tiers of water; the lowest for dogs, the middle for horses and the highest was a drinking fountain for people. This fountain remains for us a significant reminder of Barlow’s historic past.
-Marker placed by City of Barlow – 2002

Glossary:

• Attic base, a column base with two rings
• Bas-relief, sculpted material that has been raised from the background to create a slight projection from the surface
• Capital, the top of a column that supports the load bearing down on it
• Cavetto, a concave moulding with a curve of 90°
• Cornice, a molding or ornamentation that projects from the top of a building
• Finial, a sculptured ornament fixed to the top of a peak, arch, gable or similar structure
• Fluted, a long rounded groove
• Pedestal, an architectural support for a column or statue
• Plinth, flat base usually projecting, upon which a pedestal, wall or column rests.

Clock Tower Fountain

Location: Mitcham, Surrey, England

On 29 November 1899, a clock tower and cast iron drinking fountain was unveiled by James Salter White, chairman of the Croydon Rural District Council. The structure was funded by public subscription to commemorate Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee of 1897.

1899 unveiling. Source: https://photoarchive.merton.gov.uk/collections/events-organisations/33363-unveiling-of-mitcham-clock-tower-upper-green

Status 1907. Source: https://arena.yourlondonlibrary.net/web/merton/thennow

Status 1910 postcard

Circa 1900s. Source: https://mitchamhistorynotes.wordpress.com/tag/fair-green/page/1/

It was erected on the site of the old village pump in an area which was a rally point for Evangelists and politicians, fundraising, and events such as recruitment for the war and the inspection of Red Cross nurses by visiting Royalty.

Old Pump. Source: https://merton.moderngov.co.uk/documents/s2427/mg06

The structure was controversial as many residents were unhappy that the old pump had been removed, and the clock became well known for its unreliability due to condensation affecting the clock’s mechanism. It was not uncommon for each of the four faces to show a different time.

1899. Source: https://merton.moderngov.co.uk/documents/s2427/mg06

The drinking fountain erected on London Road adjacent to the Buck’s Head pub and opposite the King’s Arms was relocated several times within Fair Green to allow for regeneration of the area. A controversial move in 1994, part of London Road was closed to traffic to create a pedestrian area and market place. It is within this pedestrian area that the structure is currently situated.

1910 Source: National Library of Scotland

1952 Source: National Library of Scotland

On 2 September 1988, it was listed as a Grade II historic building. In 2014 funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund enabled the town to undertake restoration of the historic structure; a water supply was connected to the drinking fountain, a new weather vane was installed, and the clock was refurbished by Surrey-based specialist clock makers Gillett & Johnston (the clock hands are not to the original design).

The newly restored structure was erected on 26th August 2015 with bespoke lanterns installed in 2016 to illuminate the clock face. (The original four gas lamps were replaced during the advent of electricity.)

2015

2016

The structure manufactured by McDowall Steven & Co. Ltd. is approximately 7m high and was seated on a two tiered octagonal plinth originally with two dog troughs at ground level. Two large demi-lune basins protrude from the pedestal beneath which the maker’s nameplate is visible, McDowall Steven & Co. / Limited / London & Glasgow.

Four dolphins (dolphins are a symbolic protector of all things related to water) at each corner of the stanchion create sections decorated with a shell pattern, floral relief and a crest engraved V.R. 1897 which is a reference to the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria. Two drinking cups were once suspended on chains.

Source: https://twitter.com/MitchamNotes

The capital supports a fluted lamp column with attic base. The column is decorated with swags, a shield bearing a cross and stylized flowers flanked by leaves. Four consoles offered a gas light source from a glass paned lantern the top of which was decorated with palmette relief and a terminal resembling castle turrets.

Four beaded consoles divided by a flower sit just beneath the four clock faces. Each clock panel is bound by fan spandrels. A gable roof is adorned by a spike at each peak and bas-relief of a crown in the pediment.

A closed urn with four knob pendants supports a weather vane with directional compass points and a directional arrow with butterfly wings.

 

Status 1980. Creative Commons License, Dr. Neil Clifton. Source: http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/568262

Status 2008

Status 1966. Used with permission, Merton Historical Society. Source: http://mertonhistoricalsociety.org.uk Photographer Eric Montague. Source: http://mertonhistoricalsociety.org.uk/mhs-em-ug-20/

Status 2013. Copyright David Roe, used with permission. Source: http://mertonhistoricalsociety.org.uk

Status 2010. Creative Commons License, Stephen Craven. Source: http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/1853146

Glossary:

• Attic base, a column base with two rings
• Bas-relief, sculpted material that has been raised from the background to create a slight projection from the surface
• Capital, the top of a column that supports the load bearing down on it
• Console, a decorative bracket support element
• Demi-lune, half moon or crescent shape
• Fluted, a long rounded groove
• Gable, triangular portion of a wall between edges of a dual pitched roof
• Palmette, a decorative motif resembling the fan shaped leaves of a palm tree
• Pedestal, an architectural support for a column or statue
• Pediment, an element in architecture consisting of a gable placed above a horizontal structure supported by columns
• Plinth, flat base usually projecting, upon which a pedestal, wall or column rests.
• Spandrel, the triangular space between two arches
• Stanchion, upright bar, post or frame providing support
• Terminal, statue or ornament that stands on a pedestal