Bagley Memorial Fountain Address: 1 Cadillac Square Built: 1887 Architect: H. H. Richardson John Judson Bagley (1832-1881) was an accomplished businessman and civic and political leader in Detroit during the mid-to-late 19th century. He was elected the 16th governor of Michigan, serving from 1873 to 1877. Bagley was among the denizens of men who prospered during Detroit’s time as a major hub of the tobacco industry. Bagley left funds in his will for the construction of a drinking fountain that would provide the citizens of Detroit with “water cold and pure as the coldest mountain stream.” The great Henry Hobson Richardson was commissioned to design the fountain. Richardson (1838-1886) is widely regarded as one of America's most influential architects. Richardson’s crowning achievement remains the seminal Trinity Church in Boston’s Copley Square. The style that he popularized, a variant of Romanesque architecture known as Richardsonian Romanesque, is found in countless buildings, public and private, from coast to coast. Richardson got his inspiration for the fountain from the ciborium of St. Mark’s Basilica in Venice. The structure is made entirely of pink Braggville granite. On all four sides of the cornice, these words are inscribed: "TESTAMENTARY GIFT FOR THE PEOPLE FROM JOHN JVDSON BAGLEY A.D. MDCCCLXXXVII" The Bagley Memorial Fountain was originally located at Woodward & Fort, near Old City Hall. In 1926, the fountain was moved to Campus Martius, due to increased automobile traffic. It remained there until 2000, when the park underwent remodeling. The fountain was disassembled and put into storage. It was at this point that the original lion fountainhead was stolen. The historic landmark was installed at it’s current location in Cadillac Square in 2007, complete with a replica fountainhead. #Detroit #Downtown #CadillacSquare #Romanesque #ItalianRomanesque #RichardsonianRomanesque #VictorianArchitecture #archi_ologie #RawDetroit #PureMichigan #PureMittigan #MotorCityShooters #PureDetroit #PureDetroit313 #Michiganders #TheMidwestival #IGersDetroit #IGersMidwest #detroit_igers #ThisPlaceMatters #ThisPlaceMattersDetroit #MichiganPlacesMatter (at Bagley Memorial Fountain)
