City of Fountains Guide | Part II: The Plaza
Kansas City Fountain Day is here!
The second Tuesday in April marks the day when all 48 public fountains will be turned on to celebrate the arrival of spring and the history of the fountains that have graced our city for more than 125 years.
Join the celebrations by exploring all the fountains our city has to offer with our City of Fountains Guide Part I: Downtown and Crossroads and now, Part II.
Part II highlights some of the best fountains the Plaza and Loose Park have to offer. While The City of Fountains Foundation lists twenty fountains on the Plaza alone, we picked our favorite nine:
Photo by Libbie Bond.
Boy and Frog Fountain | 302 Nichols Road
Artist: Raffaello Romanelli
Perhaps one of the more laughable fountains in the city, Boy and Frog features a young, nude boy enjoying the spray of a frog.
What’s nearby: Starbucks, Tiffany & Co and Warby Parker.
Photo by Libbie Bond.
Diana | 401 Ward Parkway
Artist: Kivett & Myers (architects), Bromsgrove Guild of Warwickshire (original sculpture), Bernhard Zuckerman (sculpture replica casting)
Diana, the Roman goddess of the moon and the hunt, has charmed pedestrians and guests of the nearby hotel (first the Alameda Plaza and now the Intercontinental) since 1972.
What’s nearby: Black Dirt, sister restaurant of the now closed Justus Drugstore in Smithville.
Photo by Libbie Bond.
Fountain of Bacchus | 4701 Wyandotte Street
Artist: Bromsgrove Guild of Warwickshire
Originally housed in Warwickshire, England, the five-ton sculpture was cut into sections before being shipped to and installed in Chandler Court.
What’s nearby: Enjoy a stroll along Brush Creek, or make the trek up to the Kansas City Public Library Plaza Branch.
J.C. Nichols Memorial Fountain | 4747 J.C. Nichols Parkway
Artist: Henri Greber
Perhaps the most iconic fountain in Kansas City, the J.C Nichols Memorial Fountain includes four horsemen said to represent four rivers throughout the world: the Mississippi, the Rhine, the Seine and the Volga.
What’s nearby: Meander through the Mill Creek Park and grab a meal at Cafe Trio, or walk half a mile to the Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art.
Photo by Libbie Bond.
Neptune Fountain | 308 W 47th Street
Artist: Bromsgrove Guild
Located outside the Made in KC Marketplace, the Neptune Fountain was once destined to become scrap metal. Found by workers atop of a train car full of scrap, the fountain was salvaged and placed along 47th Street.
What’s nearby: Made in KC Marketplace. Don’t pass up a chance to shop for local goods and (of course) enjoy crepes, ice cream, coffee or happy hour.
Photo by Libbie Bond.
Pomona Fountain | 340 Ward Parkway
Artist: Donatello Gabrielli, Cast by Marinell Studios
Pomona, the Roman goddess and protector of vineyards, has watched over the courtyard of Seasons 52 since 1969.
What’s nearby: Centrally located, the Pomona fountain is a quick walk from Plaza staples, including Zócalo, Gram & Dun, The Granfalloon, Parkway Social Kitchen and much more.
Photo by Libbie Bond.
Seville Light Fountain | W 47th Street and J.C. Nichols Parkway
Artist: Bernhard Zuckerman
The Seville Light Fountain is an exact replica of the Plaza de Los Reyes Fountain in Seville, Spain, Kansas City’s sister city.
What’s nearby: Stop in at Rye’s Plaza location for mouthwatering dishes like fried chicken and lemon meringue pie.
Loose Park Lake Fountain | W 51st Street and Wornall Road
Artist: Air-O-Later
In the center of Loose Park Lake, you will find an entrancing and functional fountain donated by a local water quality solutions company, Air-O-Later. The fountain adds to the beauty of the lake and improves its water quality, too.
What’s nearby: Walk over to André’s Confiserie Suisse or Glacé for a sweet treat.
Photo by Libbie Bond.
Laura Conyers Smith Rose Garden Fountain | W 51st and Wornall Road
Artist: Theis Doolittle Associates
The third fountain installation in the Loose Park Rose Garden, the Laura Conyers Smith fountain has been the centerpoint of the garden since 2002.
What’s nearby: After visiting the Rose Garden, take a lap around the rest of Loose Park. Have a picnic, play frisbee or watch a match at the always-busy tennis courts.
Looking for more fountain fun? Don’t miss City of Fountains Part I, and keep an eye out for North KC and Midtown Fountain Guides coming soon.
