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| New Edison Electric Fountain postcard courtesy of Michele H. |
The fountain was dedicated to Thomas Edison in honor of Light's Golden Jubilee, a week-long celebration of the invention of the electric light. The Edison Electric Fountain was constructed by General Electric for $16,500 and was the pride of Erie when it was finished. The City of Erie paid $5,000 and the remainder of the money was raised by private citizens through popular subscription.
"Said to surpass even the Atlantic City fountain, there will be eight changes in water effects, the entire light cycle requiring 10 minutes for completion. For each water effect there will be 12 changes in lighting effects, or a total of 96 combinations to each cycle." -Erie Dispatch Herald, October 22, 1929.
A number of dignitaries were present when the Edison electric fountain was dedicated, including Erie Mayor Joseph Williams, local G.E. head H. L. R. Emmet, Charles H. Strong, W. Pitt Gifford and judge/congressman/state representative Henry A. Clark.
Knowing the history makes me look at the fountain in a whole new light (no pun intended). My aunt moved to the Los Angeles area, and whenever she came back to Erie for a visit, she had to go see the 'colored water' in Perry Square.
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| Old fountain in Perry Square. Postcard courtesy of Tom DiLuzio. |
Enjoy more Erie, PA facts and photos at: oldtimeerie.blogspot.com
We live on Emmet Drive in Lawrence Park that was named after H. L. R. Emmet. So many people wonder why our street has only one "T" in the name.
ReplyDeleteGreat picture! Thanks!
I use to go swimming in the Perry Square Fountain and it looked like the first picture. The fountain in the second picture is not the fountain that was there in the 50's. I remember the fountain changing colors as the water came up and it was really fun to swim in there as a kid in the summer. No one ever said a word to us about it. I don't know how they figure they changed the fountain in 1929 yet I was swimming in the first picture in the 50's.
ReplyDeleteI agree. I remember the fountain in the first picture. I went to dance school at the Catherine Little School of dance across the street from the Fountain. That was in the 50's. I LOVED the lights in the fountain. In my memories, I still do.
DeleteI also used to play in the Perry Square Fountain in the 50's, and I agree that it looked like the first picture, and we were never told that we couldn't be there. The colored lights at night were mesmerizing!
DeleteI HAVE MANY FOND MEMORIES OF THE FOUNTAIN AND IT'S CHANGING COLORS !
ReplyDeleteON CAR TRIPS AROUND THE PENNINSULA ON SUNDAYS, I USED TO WATCH THE COLORS FROM THE BACK SEAT OF MY MOMS AND DADS CAR UNTIL WE WERE OUT OF SIGHT.
MARY ARUSIEWICZ KEAN LAS VEGAS, NEVADA