Pittsburgh’s “crown jewel” celebrates its 50th birthday on August 30th.
THE FOUNTAIN IN POINT STATE PARK | PHOTO BY DAVE DICELLO
1. Frank Lloyd Wright in 1947 came up with the idea of covering the confluence of the three rivers in Point State Park with a fountain as part of his grand visions for a futuristic civic center at the Point. His building plans were never realized, but the idea for the fountain came about, and he began spraying water to celebrate the reconstruction of the 36-acre park in 1974.
2. Its geyser can reach up to 200 feet high. When it opened, it was the tallest fountain in the United States, but that height has been surpassed by others, including one in Fountain Hills, Arizona, that reaches 560 feet.
3. The well uses three pumps to circulate 1.2 million gallons per hour.
4. The park’s water supply was once provided by a sand and gravel aquifer 52 feet below the park’s surface (popularly known as Pittsburgh’s Fourth River).
5. The well was shut down in April 2009 to undergo extensive renovations when its equipment began to fail due to damage in case of regular floodingThe non-profit River life $11.6 million was raised to repair the pumps, add LED lighting, make the fountain plaza handicap accessible, and make other improvements. It was turned back on during the public celebration “Riverlights at the Point” on June 7, 2013.
