Washington State has thousands of miles of shoreline along the Pacific ocean. Yet some of the water sites that visitors enjoy seeing exist in the cities of Washington. Tourists and residents alike enjoy some of the fountains in Washington's residential communities. Some fountains exist only for artistic purposes, some as recreational sites, and some serve both as beautiful pieces of art as well as places for people to splash and cool off.
The Seattle Center houses six stunning fountains which enhance the area's landscape and cultural programs. The Seattle Center serves as a focal point for art and culture in Seattle, offering artists an opportunity to exhibit their art and giving the public an opportunity to enjoy the local art scene. The Seattle Center's fountains sit among the gardens of the center and include those that artists created to beautify the center and highlight Seattle’s commitment to the arts. Among the fountains in Seattle Center, visitors can see the Encircled Stream Fountain, the Fountain of Creation (built for the 1962 World's Fair), the Fountain of the Northwest, The International Fountain, the Howard S. Wright Memorial Fountain and the Fountain of Seseragi. Visitors come to the Center to enjoy the center’s food court, art exhibitions, skate park, science center, amusement park and children's park.
Seattle Center
305 Harrison Street
Seattle, WA 98109
206-684-7200
seattlecenter.com
Heritage Park in Olympia, Washington, provides recreational activities for area residents, including a large grassy area for relaxing, a picnic area for eating, paths for strolling and a large fountain for children and adults to wade and splash. The fountain’s place in the middle of Heritage Park makes it the park’s centerpiece and entices children (and adults) of all ages into the cool refreshing area to play and enjoy the fun. Children run through the water jets that the fountain spurts. The city filters the fountain’s circulating water through a bromine system whose levels often drop in hot weather when many children play in the fountain. Therefore, city workers close the fountain twice a day for an hour and a half to return the bromine to its proper level. In addition, the city closes the fountain on Wednesdays to change the water and perform regular maintenance.
Heritage Park Fountain
330 5th Ave. SW
Olympia, WA 98501
360-753-8325
olympiawa.gov
Frosh Pond, in the center of the University of Washington campus, was once known as Geyser Basin and had been a focal point of the 1909 Alaska Yukon Pacific Exposition. The pond consists of two ponds: the center pond with the Drumheller Fountain and a hidden outer pool which encircles the inner pool. University Regent Joseph Drumheller donated the Drumheller Fountain to the university in honor of the university's 1961 centennial celebration. The fountain has three banks of jets and built-in lighting. The fountain’s center jet shoots out water to a height of 100 feet. The two surrounding jet rings gush water from 10 to 30 feet.
Drumheller Fountain
University of Washington
022 Odegaard
Seattle, WA 98195
206-543-9198
www.washington.edu
