Kansas City Metro Area
Kansas City’s unique and varied water sculptures and statuary do more than give our neighborhoods and public spaces vitality and a special sense of place. Each fountain commemorates and celebrates the visions, deeds, and generosity of generations of Kansas Citians who helped make so many of our collective wishes come true.
The KCMO Parks and Recreation Department owns and maintains 48 fountains, ensuring they operate properly and stay beautiful. Two additional fountains are independently managed by KCMO City Hall rather than the Parks Department.
The Kansas City Metro Area encompasses multiple municipalities and parts of several counties in two states. In addition to those fountains owned by the KCMO city government, there are many other fountains owned by other governmental agencies in the Metro Area. Still more fountains are privately owned but visible and available in public spaces, such as in front of a bank or store. Throughout the Metro Area, fountains are a source of pride and identity for Kansas Citians.
Kansas City Metro Area Fountains
Our fountains comprise an extensive and varied collection: some ornate, some simple, some playful and others elegant and stately. Over time, they have become treasured elements of the city’s fabric, offering a meaningful view of the region’s history, legacy and culture. Many possess unique water features and artwork that adds wonderful charm to their immediate neighborhoods.
American Legion Memorial Drinking Fountain
This American Legion fountain was dedicated at 9th & Main Streets. Ironically, the pipes supplying the spigots on each side of the shaft burst during the first winter in Kansas City and were permanently turned off. In 1958, when the city began a downtown redevelopment project, this fountain was moved to the intersection of Van Brunt Boulevard and Budd Park Esplanade.
American Legion Memorial Drinking Fountain
American War Mothers Memorial Fountain
This fountain is in the small traffic circle at the intersection of East Meyer Boulevard and The Paseo. It is a rectangular limestone obelisk standing 18 feet tall in the middle of a basin. There is a spout in each face of the obelisk that streams water down to the basin below. It was erected in 1942 and is dedicated to those who served in World War I.
American War Mothers Memorial Fountain
Bernard Powell Memorial Fountain
The Bernard Powell Memorial Fountain and Plaza is located on the east side of Spring Valley Park at the intersection of Brooklyn Avenue and E 28th Street and across the street from Powell’s childhood home at 2801 Brooklyn Avenue.town fountains are tributes in remembrance of those who worked tirelessly to better their community, those who vowed to protect their community, and those who made the ultimate sacrifice.
Bernard Powell Memorial Fountain
Carl J. Dicapo Fountain
This fountain is named for Carl J. DiCapo, a restaurateur and civic leader. It is located in Kessler Park on scenic Cliff Drive in Kansas City’s north end. Converted and dedicated in 1989, the recirculating waterfall was constructed to draw attention to a natural spring with a rustic cliff side setting.
Carl J. Dicapo Fountain
Children’s Fountain
Playful, happy, challenging, thoughtful – all are terms that can be used to describe Kansas City’s Children’s Fountain. The fountain was designed to celebrate children and Kansas City children were used as models for the figures.
Children’s Fountain
Delbert J. Haff Fountain
In the 1890s, Delbert J. Haff became an essential influence in the direction that the Kansas City Parks and Recreation Board has evolved into today. In 1937, a circle just west of Swope Park was designed and dedicated to this important figure in Kansas City history. The circle and fountain welcomes visitors to the west entrance of Swope Park and pays tribute to one of Kansas City’s most influential proponents of the local parks system.
Delbert J. Haff Fountain
Eagle Scout Tribute Fountain
The Eagle Scout Tribute Fountain is set against the backdrop of a 22-foot-high marble sculpture by Adolph Weinman. The sculpture consists of a large wreath bordered on both sides by a woman and an eagle. The women represent Day and Night. Within the wreath, an enlarged Boy Scout Eagle Badge is displayed. A two-tiered fountain pool and two winding concrete staircases complete the monument.
Eagle Scout Tribute Fountain
Firefighters Fountain and Memorial
In 1988, six firefighters died suddenly in a huge explosion. The community was spurred by this tragic event to support the campaign to create a memorial tribute to all firefighters that resulted in the fountain and the original memorial. This fountain is located at the south end of Penn Valley Park is a collaborative effort from many private sources to pay tribute to the men and women of the city’s firefighters and memorialize those who have given their lives in the line of duty. The fountain features two bronze figures surrounded by 48 streams of water falling into an 80-foot-wide basin.
Firefighters Fountain and Memorial
Harold D. Rice Memorial Fountain
Harold D. Rice founded the City of Fountains Foundation in 1973 with the goal of adding one fountain per year and preserving the city’s existing fountains. This fountain, dedicated to him, is a pedestal with its multi-tiered bowls resting in a pool basin.
Harold D. Rice Memorial Fountain
Harry Evans Minty Memorial Fountain
Located at the Kansas City Zoo, this working drinking fountain is dedicated to Harry Evans Minty, who was a respected member of the Park Board in the 1940s. The fountain features the bronze likeness of a lion cub. The lion cub’s likeness was based on “Tyke”, one of Mr. Minty’s favorites at the Zoo.
Harry Evans Minty Memorial Fountain
Henry Wollman Bloch Fountain
The Henry Wollman Bloch Fountain was a gift to the city in the name of the co-founder of H&R Block, Inc. The fountain is located on West Pershing Road between Union Station and the Liberty Memorial, near Crown Center. It features 232 jets arranged in three concentric rings within an ellipse of black granite.
Henry Wollman Bloch Fountain
Hillside Fountain
Water cascades down several limestone terraces above Brush Creek. This waterfall is located along the Brush Creek Parkway near the intersection of Cleveland Avenue and Blue Parkway and is across the creek from the Spirit of Freedom Fountain. It is located behind the Bruce R. Watkins Cultural Center at 3700 Blue Parkway.
Hillside Fountain
Ilus W. Davis Fountain
The mall across from City Hall was named after the man who served as mayor of Kansas City during the 1960s and is associated with city growth and progress. The park strengths the north-south axis and adds softness and color to the government district, often referred to as the Civil Mall. ean art.
Ilus W. Davis Fountain
Jack and Martha Steadman Fountain
Near the west entrance of Starlight Theatre sits this fountain backed by a beautifully landscaped terrace. It was donated to the theatre in honor of long-time Starlight supporters Martha and Jack Steadman.
Jack and Martha Steadman Fountain
Laura Conyers Smith Fountain
The Laura Conyers Smith Rose Garden at Loose Park has contained a water feature since the 1930s. The original design for the rose garden included a small lily pool in the center of the garden, which was built and dedicated in 1936.
Laura Conyers Smith Fountain
Liberty Memorial Fountain North
On the north side of the Liberty Memorial, underneath the Great Frieze and flanking the 90′ wide flight of steps, are these dual fountains. They are part of the original construction of the Liberty Memorial complex and were constructed in 1934-35 and were designed by Wight and Wight, who were Kansas City architects.
Liberty Memorial Fountain North
“Adam and Eve” Loose Park Wall Fountains
In 1941, the Works Progress Administration sponsored a competition to select an artist for a fountain in Jacob Loose Park. Jeanette Klein of Kansas City was awarded the commission and she created larger-than-life-size figures of a man and a woman in clay, which were placed in semicircular niches on the south wall of a service building. They were unveiled during the 1942 Rose Day celebration.
“Adam and Eve” Loose Park Wall Fountains
Marlborough Plaza Fountain
This fountain, originally called the “Boy and a Fish” fountain, was purchased in 1923 by J. C. Nichols and was located on the Country Club Plaza until 1968 when it was moved to its present location at 79th and The Paseo to accommodate the Seville Light Fountain. The original sculpture of “Boy and a Fish” is no longer here, but the ornate fountain basins remain intact.
Marlborough Plaza Fountain
Mill Creek Park Fountain
The Mill Creek Park fountain is the best known and most photographed of all of Kansas City’s fountains. On any televised event from Kansas City, you can count on seeing a shot or footage of this fountain at some point. It sits at the south end of Mill Creek Park on the east side of Country Club Plaza.
Mill Creek Park Fountain
Mirror Pool on Ward Parkway
Taking up almost the entire median block between W 61st Terrace and W 62nd Street along Ward Parkway, the Mirror Pool Fountain was constructed in 1924 as part of a beautification effort along Ward Parkway. It was originally a reflecting pool but was also used at times for miniature boating and ice skating.
Mirror Pool on Ward Parkway
Northland Fountain
This fountain located in Kansas City’s Northland is one of the few fountains that runs year-round, designed by local, Larkin & Associate in engineering. It has also been called the “Spirit of Cooperation,” because it illustrates the unified effort of the public and private sectors worked together to achieve a common goal.
Northland Fountain
Romany Fountain
This pedestal fountain is another quiet statement of beauty along Ward Parkway. Two saucers issue water into the pool below through the pursed lips of faces of either children or angels. At one time, a sunken garden was maintained on either side.
Romany Fountain
Seville Light Fountain
On the east edge of Country Club Plaza and across the street from the Mill Creek Park fountain is a triangular traffic island on which sits the Seville Light Fountain. Sculptor Bernhard Zuckerman was commissioned to create an exact replica of the Plaza de Los Reyes Fountain in Seville, Spain. Seville is one of Kansas City’s sister cities and this fountain was dedicated in honor of that relationship.
Seville Light Fountain
Shirley Bush Helzberg Garden of the Stars Fountain
Located inside the east entrance of Starlight Theatre is the large water feature known as the Shirley Bush Helzberg Garden of the Stars Fountain. The picturesque fountain features ten waterfalls gently cascading amongst eleven brick columns that stand twenty feet tall. The water falls into a pool with more than a dozen vertical water jets. The heights of the jets decrease as the fountain goes west. The pool stretches west toward the performance area curving into the distance for a total length of 180 feet.
Shirley Bush Helzberg Fountain
Shoal Creek Golf Course Entry Fountain
In the median of Shoal Creek Parkway at the entrance to the Shoal Creek Golf Course sits this little waterfall fountain. Lots of landscaping with trees, flowers and limestone blocks surround a small pool with multiple small waterfalls feeding it.
Shoal Creek Golf Course Entry Fountain
Shoal Creek Parkway Garden Fountain
In the median of Shoal Creek Parkway just north of NE 87th Street and a few blocks north of Highway 152 sits this fountain. The fountain features three large saucers composed of what look like giant, overlapping leaves. Water shoots out of the top in four directions into the top saucer and the water makes its way through the gaps between the leaves down to the pool below.
Shoal Creek Parkway Garden Fountain
Spirit of Freedom Fountain
A 5,000 lb. metallic free form sculpture sits on a pedestal in the middle of a retaining pool – elliptical in shape with raised platforms that support the sculpture. Water pours from the base of the platform and there are six clusters of water jets in the interior of the basin.
Spirit of Freedom Fountain
The Concourse Fountain
This fountain was designed in 2001 by David Schwartz of Water’s Edge Aquatic Design and was installed and first turned on in 2002. It includes several water jets with adjustable spray heights.
The Concourse Fountain
The Vision Fountain
This fountain can be found in front of the Arabia Steamboat Museum in the River Market area, north of downtown Kansas City, Missouri.
The Vision Fountain
The Women’s Leadership Fountain
This fountain was the second fountain built in Kansas City, MO and is its oldest working fountain. It was completed in 1899 and designed by John Van Brunt and George Kessler. After a long period of non-use, the basin was excavated and repaired in 1970. In 1989, the Central Exchange took leadership in raising money for a partial restoration and named it The Women’s Leadership Fountain.
The Women’s Leadership Fountain
Thomas H. Swope Memorial Fountain
In 1896, Thomas H. Swope donated two square miles of land to the City of Kansas City for use as a park. Today, Swope Park is home to Starlight Theatre, the Kansas City Zoo and Swope Memorial Golf Course, among others, but is still a work in progress. It has become an important part of the surrounding area and Kansas City.
Thomas H. Swope Memorial Fountain
Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fountain
The memorial was developed by the Kansas City Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund, Inc. A semi-circular memorial wall has the names of the 451 casualties that called the Kansas City area home. Visitors to this monument leave flags and flowers to honor those who served during one of America’s most turbulent eras.
Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fountain
William T. and Charlotte Crosby Kemper Memorial Fountain
This fountain draws its inspiration from the ancient stone bowl in the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Rozelle Court as well as from architectural features on the exterior of the Commerce Trust Building across the street. The fountain reflects the simplicity and strength of the Kempers and their commitment to Kansas City.
William T. and Charlotte Crosby Kemper Memorial Fountain
William Volker Memorial Fountain
Swedish sculptor Carl Milles’ last work, the St. Martin of Tours Sculpture, is the centerpiece of the Volker Memorial Fountain. Volker, who came to Kansas City from Chicago in the late 1880s, became a prominent businessman and philanthropist. He gave to causes large and small, including donating the money used to purchase land to start a university now is University of Missouri-Kansas City.