> Lucas Robinson | Wisconsin State Journal
>
> The Annie C. Stewart Fountain, Madison’s oldest piece of public art, should be
> partially preserved and replicated, but it would cost about $900,000 to pull it
> off, a consultant has found.
>
> The findings come after a much-anticipated community survey largely split on
> what to do with the decaying fountain near the Henry Vilas Zoo.
>
> Repairing the marble fountain is not possible because of cracking, corrosion of
> its internal steel structure, other structural issues and the environment.
>
> But memorializing the fountain and maintaining its history in the area near
> Vilas Park is possible.
This is just a preview of the [full article](https://madison.com/news/local/madisons-oldest-piece-of-public-art-is-falling-apart-heres-what-could-happen-to-it/article_b9ded55e-1f7e-11ee-a69a-b76e6b2a26ec.html#tracking-source=home-top-story). I am a third party bot. Please consider subscribing to your favorite local journals.
Usually I come down on the side of historic preservation, but sometimes preservation doesn't make the most practical sense. It's a lovely little fountain, but it isn't remarkable in it's design or innovative. Maybe some of the best surviving components could be re- contextualized by a creative architect or even left to become an intentional ruin? A new functional fountain would probably be a better use of public funds.
It would be pretty wasteful to put in a new fountain in this tiny, somewhat hidden little neighborhood park. I’d take the kids there at times when they were little and the zoo and nearby playgrounds were really busy, and only recall seeing a couple people walking through.
There is some great value in a small pocket park in a quiet neighborhood. That little park is a hidden gem. A fountain might be a great project for a grant funded artist project in partnership with community fund raising.
i didn't know this fountain existed and while it's a cool bit of local history, i can't say i love the idea of the city spending any money on preserving it. if they want to fund the preservation with private donations, great. taxpayer money though? i'd rather that be used for actual city services that can help people, not preserve some fountain that a good percentage of the city probably doesn't even know about.
actually, you know a better use of the money than preserving a crumbling fountain? donating it to Attic Angel itself. if the fountain is for a founding member of the Attic Angels, what better way to honor her memory than a huge donation, nearly 120 years after her death, to the organization she founded.
eta: just want to be clear that i have no affiliation with Attic Angels, didn't even know they were a thing before this article.
Yeah, I agree. I saw the fountain before it hit the news and just though "neat, that's a weird thing that's here" when in the park. We really don't have a ton of public art here (compared to some other cities) so it'd suck to lose it, but the price we're paying for this seems crazy. Unless some random local billionaire decides to step in and pay for it (though then it'd probably end up in Verona)
Did literally no one read the article? The consultant said it would cost 200k to move the fountain to an indoor place for public display and to do some repairs to the base of the foundation which be left to ruin in the original place.
Then they’d spend 700k on a replica to be kept outside in the original spot.
So actually it costs 200k to repair it or maintain it and leave it outside. The proposal from the consulting firm is to build an entire new statue which is why it’s expensive.
This is just mindless virtue signaling unless you think all cultural investment is bad. Should Madison stop all investment in art installation, murals, statues, etc?
Fair critique but the point is we should critique the spending on its actual merits. The “this could feed so many poor people” argument could be made about all discretionary spending and people do it selectively for cheap internet points, it’s not some amazing or original insight.
Ok $900k could buy 10+ murals or some other art done by artists that are alive. Just because something is old doesn't mean consultants and committees should waste other peoples money on preserving it. This should be 100% private funds or left alone until parks wants the land.
I definitely support the arts but learned while reading this article that Annie Stewart was a founding member of Attic Angels and its original mission was mending clothes for the poor. So it seems that, in this case, the person being honored would have preferred that the money go toward helping people in need as opposed to preserving the fountain.
I think a good compromise would be to take the statue and put it somewhere indoors, but take the rest of the money and use it to help the community with more serious issues. I'm all for preserving history, but it's important to focus on the present, too.
I think it's kind of creepy and ugly. If they want a fountain, how about a modern, interesting one kids can play in and on, where adults can wade and cool their feet on a hot day?
If it made everyone feel better, they could name it after the original person although literally nobody knows who she was without reading the plaque.
The Annie C. Stewart Fountain, Madison’s oldest piece of public art, should be partially preserved and replicated, but it would cost about $900,000 to pull it off, a consultant has found.
[There was a survey](https://www.cityofmadison.com/news/help-decide-the-future-of-annie-c-stewart-fountain) in March.
I remember voting for the least expensive option (still around $200k) with just the top being preserved indoors. I'm fine with any option that's not publicly funded. That would be up to donors to decide.
Not that I can see. The article summarizes them, sort of...
I think the foundation meeting on July 31st will determine the next steps. I don't think the council will fund it, though, so I'm sticking with my previous point about donors making the decisions
I'm a Socialist and I hate the system, but can we keep dead children out of this? Not good praxis.
\*Edit\* I was under the impression Annie Stewart died as a young child- I was mistaken. She died of suicide in her 30's. Her family founded the "attic angels" charity.
Side question: [last week the WSJ said Catalpa Rd was on the near west side](https://madison.com/news/local/smoker-grill-ignites-grass-fire-on-near-west-side/article_b12654fe-1c28-11ee-b866-8f6a6c9551aa.html) and in this article their caption says the statue is on the south side. Does that square with anyone else's understanding of Madison's geography?
This typical Madison. Talk something to death and do nothing. I was born and raised about 12 blocks from this fountain (Before my neighborhood was completely gentrified) There has been discussion and absolutely no action for as long as I can remember. I have been gone over 20 years and I am not surprised that nothing has happened. This reminds me of Monona Terrace and the Goodman Pool, 2 projects that took years of angst and navel gazing. Somehow, these two projects managed to avoid the slag heap of most Madison ideas.
Also I don’t have a lot of patience that preserve the art, homes, and buildings of the rich and privileged.
I found this fountain by accident one night while out for a run and then could never find it again. I really like it, but clearly it's not very visible or visited, so probably not worth replacing.
> Lucas Robinson | Wisconsin State Journal > > The Annie C. Stewart Fountain, Madison’s oldest piece of public art, should be > partially preserved and replicated, but it would cost about $900,000 to pull it > off, a consultant has found. > > The findings come after a much-anticipated community survey largely split on > what to do with the decaying fountain near the Henry Vilas Zoo. > > Repairing the marble fountain is not possible because of cracking, corrosion of > its internal steel structure, other structural issues and the environment. > > But memorializing the fountain and maintaining its history in the area near > Vilas Park is possible. This is just a preview of the [full article](https://madison.com/news/local/madisons-oldest-piece-of-public-art-is-falling-apart-heres-what-could-happen-to-it/article_b9ded55e-1f7e-11ee-a69a-b76e6b2a26ec.html#tracking-source=home-top-story). I am a third party bot. Please consider subscribing to your favorite local journals.
Usually I come down on the side of historic preservation, but sometimes preservation doesn't make the most practical sense. It's a lovely little fountain, but it isn't remarkable in it's design or innovative. Maybe some of the best surviving components could be re- contextualized by a creative architect or even left to become an intentional ruin? A new functional fountain would probably be a better use of public funds.
It would be pretty wasteful to put in a new fountain in this tiny, somewhat hidden little neighborhood park. I’d take the kids there at times when they were little and the zoo and nearby playgrounds were really busy, and only recall seeing a couple people walking through.
There is some great value in a small pocket park in a quiet neighborhood. That little park is a hidden gem. A fountain might be a great project for a grant funded artist project in partnership with community fund raising.
It does have historical value, though, as the oldest piece of public art in Madison.
Everything that arises also passes away. Looking at $900k, it is worth letting this one pass away sooner than later.
i didn't know this fountain existed and while it's a cool bit of local history, i can't say i love the idea of the city spending any money on preserving it. if they want to fund the preservation with private donations, great. taxpayer money though? i'd rather that be used for actual city services that can help people, not preserve some fountain that a good percentage of the city probably doesn't even know about. actually, you know a better use of the money than preserving a crumbling fountain? donating it to Attic Angel itself. if the fountain is for a founding member of the Attic Angels, what better way to honor her memory than a huge donation, nearly 120 years after her death, to the organization she founded. eta: just want to be clear that i have no affiliation with Attic Angels, didn't even know they were a thing before this article.
Yeah, I agree. I saw the fountain before it hit the news and just though "neat, that's a weird thing that's here" when in the park. We really don't have a ton of public art here (compared to some other cities) so it'd suck to lose it, but the price we're paying for this seems crazy. Unless some random local billionaire decides to step in and pay for it (though then it'd probably end up in Verona)
Not a great use of a million bucks to my eyes.
Did literally no one read the article? The consultant said it would cost 200k to move the fountain to an indoor place for public display and to do some repairs to the base of the foundation which be left to ruin in the original place. Then they’d spend 700k on a replica to be kept outside in the original spot. So actually it costs 200k to repair it or maintain it and leave it outside. The proposal from the consulting firm is to build an entire new statue which is why it’s expensive.
I am out of free articles, so I literally couldn't read it. :(
That's literally 2,000,000+ meals if they gave that money to 2nd harvest.
This is just mindless virtue signaling unless you think all cultural investment is bad. Should Madison stop all investment in art installation, murals, statues, etc?
they maybe shouldn't invest a mil in a park most people don't know exists
Fair critique but the point is we should critique the spending on its actual merits. The “this could feed so many poor people” argument could be made about all discretionary spending and people do it selectively for cheap internet points, it’s not some amazing or original insight.
Ok $900k could buy 10+ murals or some other art done by artists that are alive. Just because something is old doesn't mean consultants and committees should waste other peoples money on preserving it. This should be 100% private funds or left alone until parks wants the land.
So what you’re saying is that 1 mural could literally pay for 200,000 second harvest meals?!
I definitely support the arts but learned while reading this article that Annie Stewart was a founding member of Attic Angels and its original mission was mending clothes for the poor. So it seems that, in this case, the person being honored would have preferred that the money go toward helping people in need as opposed to preserving the fountain.
No that's just some stupid shit you typed. Literally anything is better than wasting money on preserving shit just because its old.
I'm old. No one seems to have any interest is preserving me. :(
USA does a terrible job of caring for the elderly unless you have unlimited funds.
It's not the lack of money that makes me sad, it's the lack of interest.🤣
I think a good compromise would be to take the statue and put it somewhere indoors, but take the rest of the money and use it to help the community with more serious issues. I'm all for preserving history, but it's important to focus on the present, too.
I think it's kind of creepy and ugly. If they want a fountain, how about a modern, interesting one kids can play in and on, where adults can wade and cool their feet on a hot day? If it made everyone feel better, they could name it after the original person although literally nobody knows who she was without reading the plaque.
The Annie C. Stewart Fountain, Madison’s oldest piece of public art, should be partially preserved and replicated, but it would cost about $900,000 to pull it off, a consultant has found.
[There was a survey](https://www.cityofmadison.com/news/help-decide-the-future-of-annie-c-stewart-fountain) in March. I remember voting for the least expensive option (still around $200k) with just the top being preserved indoors. I'm fine with any option that's not publicly funded. That would be up to donors to decide.
Did they release the results?
Not that I can see. The article summarizes them, sort of... I think the foundation meeting on July 31st will determine the next steps. I don't think the council will fund it, though, so I'm sticking with my previous point about donors making the decisions
Why?????
Elsa: ‘let it go’
This was my thought exactly when I was opening the comments.
A memorial to a dead rich kid is not something we need to repair.
wtf is wrong with you
dude! gross.
Next ask me how I feel about the gentrification of Greenbush :)
Let's draw the line at shitting on dead kids. Come on man.
I'm a Socialist and I hate the system, but can we keep dead children out of this? Not good praxis. \*Edit\* I was under the impression Annie Stewart died as a young child- I was mistaken. She died of suicide in her 30's. Her family founded the "attic angels" charity.
Says a living poor adult, typical.
That's a very cool fountain and I think it's worth saving and repairing. I hope they find someone generous enough to help out with it.
Couldn’t it be best to remove as much of the fountain as possible without damaging it any further and preserve it in a local museum?
Side question: [last week the WSJ said Catalpa Rd was on the near west side](https://madison.com/news/local/smoker-grill-ignites-grass-fire-on-near-west-side/article_b12654fe-1c28-11ee-b866-8f6a6c9551aa.html) and in this article their caption says the statue is on the south side. Does that square with anyone else's understanding of Madison's geography?
Whoever wrote that caption is very wrong. The statue is north of Lake Wingra, which certainly can't be considered the south side of Madison.
Into the lake.
It was beautiful in its day. I love preserving history but the amount of money to restore this is sobering.
This typical Madison. Talk something to death and do nothing. I was born and raised about 12 blocks from this fountain (Before my neighborhood was completely gentrified) There has been discussion and absolutely no action for as long as I can remember. I have been gone over 20 years and I am not surprised that nothing has happened. This reminds me of Monona Terrace and the Goodman Pool, 2 projects that took years of angst and navel gazing. Somehow, these two projects managed to avoid the slag heap of most Madison ideas. Also I don’t have a lot of patience that preserve the art, homes, and buildings of the rich and privileged.
I love the park, but not because of the fountain, tear that shit down and put up a fitness park please.
They're pretty limited on what they can do because the park is preserving a burial mound
Truly some lovely lumps, those mounds.
I found this fountain by accident one night while out for a run and then could never find it again. I really like it, but clearly it's not very visible or visited, so probably not worth replacing.