J.C Nichols Fountain, Kansas City

The J.C. Nichols Memorial Fountain, located in Kansas City's Country Club Plaza, is a landmark that stands as the most recognized and photographed of the city’s many fountains. Originally crafted in Paris by sculptor Henri Greber in 1910, this stunning piece once adorned the gardens of Clarence Mackay’s estate, Harbor Hill, in Long Island, New York. The fountain features four impressive cast bronze equestrian figures, each symbolizing one of the world’s great rivers: the Rhine, the Seine, the Volga, and the Mississippi.

After a fire in 1938 severely damaged the estate and subsequent vandalism marred the fountain’s figures, these sculptures were sold as salvage in 1951. The Nichols family of Kansas City, known for their development of the Country Club Plaza, purchased the figures and brought them to the city. With contributions from the family, the city, and private donors, the fountain was refurbished by Herman Frederick Simon. The Kansas City Parks Department provided land, sidewalks, and landscaping in 1957, setting the stage for the fountain's installation.

Dedicated in 1960 as a memorial to J.C. Nichols, the fountain now serves as a prominent feature of the Plaza, embodying both the city’s artistic heritage and the legacy of the Nichols family. The four heroic horsemen continue to captivate, with each figure-whether fending off an alligator or paired with a bear-telling a dynamic story of the rivers they represent.