Dog’s Mouth Fountain

Location: Roanoke, Virginia, USA

In 1884 approval was given to build a market in Roanoke. The first building completed in 1886 formed the core around which the Curb Market and Market Square developed. A drinking fountain for man, horse and beast which was installed in 1898 still exists at the corner of Salem Avenue and Market Street and is used by police horses. Legend states that whoever drinks from the fountain will always return to Roanoke.

Design #12 was manufactured by J.L. Mott Iron Works of New York. The structure is a highly decorated circular pillar with decorative relief in the form of fruit and flora. A lion mascaron spouts water into a small basin for use by humans, and a tin cup was originally affixed with a chain. On the street side a larger basin was used by horses to quench their thirst. Two bowls at the base of the pedestal provided water for smaller animals. The structure terminates in a pineapple finial which is symbolic of hospitality.

Glossary:

• Finial, a sculptured ornament fixed to the top of a peak, arch, gable or similar structure
• Mask/Mascaron, a decorative element in the form of a sculpted face or head of a human being or an animal
• Relief, a sculptural technique to give the impression that the sculpted material has been raised above the background