Where to Buy a Fountain
Where did the WCTU fountains come from? At least two manufacturers of iron and bronze drinking fountains advertised their products in the WCTU’s national newspaper, the Union Signal, in the early 1900s. J. L Mott Company and J. W. Fiske Ironworks were both located in New York City; both offered a variety of ornate yet functional designs, and featured models that would serve both “man and beast.” One of the Fiske ads noted that
“There seems no better way to aid the cause of temperance and carry out the work of your Society than by placing drinking fountains on the streets of our cities and towns. By doing so you furnish water not only to man but to horse and dog as well.”
Some fountains could be ordered with attached streetlights for extra convenience. Other fountains were made of stone or cement; some included statues or bas-reliefs (several had carved images of Frances Willard). Rought-hewn and rustic, streamlined and utilitarian; ordered from a catalogue or custom designed: the variety of styles and features reflected regional tastes, local budgets, and the time period in which they were built.