Centennial Fountain Is a River Blast
Buckingham Fountain is probably the most famous fountain in Chicago, but one of my favorites has always been Centennial Fountain. It is much more interactive, allowing visitors to get close enough to actually touch the water. Completed in 1989, it commemorates the 100th anniversary of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Chicago. The fountain is located near the very spot where the agency reversed the flow of the Chicago River back in 1900.
Centennial Fountain is comprised of two major parts. The semicircular waterfall runs every day between Memorial Day (last Monday of May) and Labor Day (first Monday in September) from 8 a.m. until 11 p.m. A water cannon shoots a HUGE arc of water across the Chicago River for 10 minutes at the top of every hour (beginning at 10 a.m., except the hours of 3 p.m. and 4 p.m.). Boats that are traveling down the river at these times either pause and wait for the cannon to stop, or they will go right on through and get soaked by the sheet of water that cascades from the arc.
Photo credit: (c/o Flickr) Numan, David Paul Ohmer (1, 2, 3, 4), wyliepoon
Centennial Fountain: 300 N McClurg Ct; 312-751-7909
Memorial Day ' Labor Day: 8:00 a.m. ' 11:00 p.m.
Public trans: Bus # 2, 29, 65, 66, 124
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POSTED IN: Architecture & Attractions
2 opinions for Centennial Fountain Is a River Blast
Jul 15, 2008 at 5:12 pm
I’ve driven my boat under the spray in the heat of summer and it’s so refreshing. I remember boats lining up to get a quick cool off.
Jul 16, 2008 at 11:38 am
Jon, you had a boat? You lucky dog. lol I’m sure the fountain is the grown-up version of running through the sprinklers.
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