The Soldiers’ Memorial Fountain and Park in Poughkeepsie is an early example of the use of decorative architecture to memorialize the Union struggle during the Civil War. The monument to Dutchess County’s Union troops was erected in 1870. I took these photos at 3:00 PM on a rainy July 18, 2022.
The fountain was cast before the Civil War by Janes, Beebe & Company and originally had no military symbolism in it. In the photo below, you can see that eagles perching on cannons were added to the Poughkeepsie fountain to show the association with the Civil War. The dates of the war, from the attack on Fort Sumter to Robert E. Lee’s surrender, are inscribed at the base of the fountain.
In this view, you see that late-20th Century restorers inscribed the dates of their work on another face of the base.
Several years after the fountain was commissioned, cannon were emplace in the park where it sits.
Another face of the base recalls The Patriot Dead, that is, the Union soldiers from Dutchess County who died defending the Union.
The park includes a large artillery piece, three stacks of cannon balls, and a flag pole.
A decorative fences surrounds the fountain, and lovely flowers fill out the display. The fountain was dedicated on July 4, 1870, and it remains a focus of Independence Day activities.
The fountain is crowned by the Goddess Demeter. The water sprays were imported from France in the 1870s and added after the fountain was dedicated.
Located in a vibrant Latino neighborhood, the tiny park is a respite from daily 21st Century life.
The 152 year old fountain is in good shape except for the area around the base which needs some cleaning.
These building across from the park, and others in the neighborhood give a sense of what the area looked like 150 years ago.
All photos by Patrick Young.
This map shows the location of the fountain park at the corner of Market and Montgomery Streets.
