The Haupt Fountains (with the White House in the background)
As I was out for a bike ride in the downtown area of D.C. on this unseasonably warm fall day, I watched as tourists and sightseers hurriedly walked toward some of the major monuments that reside in that part of the city. But as they were doing so, they were oblivious to the fact that they were walking right past other features and historic aspects of the city that while perhaps not as significant, are certainly worth the time to stop and appreciate them as you pass by. One such often overlooked feature is a set of fountains which flank the southern entrance to the Ellipse, located at 16th Street and Constitution Avenue (MAP). They are known as the Haupt Fountains.
These two matching fountains were the gift of publishing heiress and philanthropist Enid Annenberg Haupt, who also donated the Enid A. Haupt Garden, a four-acre Victorian garden that is adjacent to the Smithsonian Castle. They were given at the request of Mary Lasker, president of the Society for a More Beautiful Capital, as part of the First Lady Claudia Alta “Lady Bird” Johnson’s plan to have The White House framed in water views when seen from The Washington Monument. Conversely, when viewed in the opposite direction, the fountains frame the Washington Monument. As part of the First Lady’s overall plan to beautify The Ellipse, four fountains were originally planned, but only two were constructed.
The 18-foot square granite monolithic fountains with rough exteriors and a polished top surface were designed by architect Nathanial Owings, with the help of stone carver Gordon Newell and sculptor James Hunolt. The engineering for the fountains was completed by the engineering firm of Palmer, Campbell and Reese, which then contracted out the construction of the project to the firm of Curtin and Johnson, which completed the project in 1968.
The Haupt Fountains are significant landscape features in President’s Park. So now that you know a little more about them, I hope that if you’re ever in the nearby area you will be one of the few who actually stop and take notice of these beautiful and historic fountains.
[Click on the thumbnails above to view the full size photos]
The DC Bike Blogger 