The Manistee County Courthouse Fountain, also called the Memorial Fountain, is a beautiful fountain in Onekama Village Park in Onekama, Michigan. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1988.

History

In 1878, a Victorian-style Gothic county courthouse was built on Third Street in Manistee, Michigan. In 1887, two fountains were installed on the courthouse grounds, placed to each side and slightly in front of the courthouse. These fountains stayed in place until 1950, when the courthouse was destroyed by fire. At that time, the Portage Lake Garden Club, a civic improvement group in Onekama, accepted one of the fountains to be placed in Onekama Village Park. It is possible that this fountain was made from parts of both original fountains, as only a few pieces of the other fountain remain.

The fountain was installed in Onekama in July 1950, with landscaping added around it. It was dedicated in August 1951. In 1974, because of damage to the fountain, it was removed, repaired, and reinstalled.

Description

The Memorial Fountain is a decorative fountain made of cast iron. It stands on a concrete base and has a lead statue of a merman riding a dolphin and blowing a horn on top. The fountain is 77 inches tall and 88 inches wide. It has three levels: the bottom level has a wide basin, the middle level has a pedestal holding a central basin, and the top level has another pedestal supporting an upper basin and the merman statue. The words "Patented April 11, 1871" are written on the fountain's surface. The basins are decorated with images of storks, cat-o'-nine tails, lily leaves, flowers, acanthus, flute, and scallop patterns.