World Art Utopia

Josephine Shaw Lowell Memorial Fountain

The granite fountain in Bryant Park, New York, wrapped in curtains of icicles, as a visitor photographs it.
Artwork FileNew York, USA

Josephine Shaw Lowell Memorial Fountain

SeenJan 2019

Charles Adams Platt · Bryant Park, New York City, USA · 1912

Photo: Jim.henderson / Wikimedia Commons (CC0), as published on Street Art Utopia.

Charles Adams Platt designed this pink-granite fountain in Bryant Park, dedicated in 1912 to the reformer Josephine Shaw Lowell. According to Time Out New York, a heating system keeps it running in frigid weather, so the spray freezes into a ring of icicles. Source Source Reported

Seen Jan 2019: Time Out New York reported the fountain frozen on 22 January 2019 (its publication date). We found no newer dated report. Source Checked

💡 4 things to know

  1. A memorial to a reformerThe fountain honors Josephine Shaw Lowell, a social worker and leader of progressive reform. Source Source Checked
  2. A first for New YorkBryant Park calls it the city’s first public memorial dedicated to a woman. Source Reported
  3. Designed by PlattBryant Park’s own history credits Charles Adams Platt with the design. Source Checked
  4. Heat makes the iceA heating system lets the fountain keep flowing in frigid weather, and that is what builds the icicles. Source Reported

📍 Where it is

The Fountain Terrace on the west side of Bryant Park, Manhattan, New York City. Source Source Checked

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🗓️ Sightings

  1. 191222 May

    Fountain dedicated in Bryant Park · Prison Public Memory Project

  2. 1934

    Fountain moved to its present spot in the park · Prison Public Memory Project

  3. 201325 Jan

    Photographed frozen into icicles · Jim.henderson / Wikimedia Commons

  4. 201922 Jan

    Reported frozen · Time Out New York

Green stamps mark dated photographs; amber stamps mark records or reports; red stamps mark loss. Publication dates are not camera dates.

✅ The facts

Place
Bryant Park, Manhattan, New York City Source Source Checked
Designer
Charles Adams Platt Source Checked
Dedicated
1912 Source Source Checked
Material
Pink granite Source Checked
In memory of
Josephine Shaw Lowell Source Source Checked
Winter ice
Internal heating keeps the water flowing below freezing Source Reported
Status today
Reported frozen on 22 January 2019 Source Checked

🔗 Related

All sources & image credits

Last checked: 2 November 2026. How we verify art