KHP 240

Charles Earl Currie

John C. Olmsted

Clark & Loomis

Christensen Fountain

1901

Stone

Hogan's Fountain is an example of a popular form of public art at the turn of the century that included decorative sculptures and water features designed specifically for public parks. Located not too far from Hogan's Fountain near the Lexington Road entrance to Cherokee Park is Christensen Fountain, a unique water feature given to the city by Margarethe Christensen in honor of her late mother, Paulina Christensen. As a child, Christensen immigrated to the United States from Denmark with her family and settled in Louisville. The Christensen Fountain, modeled after a Viking ship and emblazoned with the Danish coat of arms, reflects the family's country of origin, and was indeed inspired by the memorial stone piles that were erected during the Viking Age.

Christensen Fountain was designed to fit into the hillside and blend in with its surrounding landscape. After its unveiling in October of 1901, The Courier-Journal provided readers with a description of the fountain that emphasizes its relationship to its location: "It is constructed of weather-worn and moss-grown, unhewn stone, of shapes selected to form the desired outline. The stone being taken from near the site, the constructed parts, when weather-worn, will be the same color as the natural rock beds now protruding from the hill surrounding the fountain."

In its own way, Christensen Fountain reinforces Frederick Law Olmsted's (1822-1903) overarching belief that parks should be constructed to appear natural and not overworked by landscape design. It also combines features of other public works in Louisville, including the large basin originally intended to hold water for horses and the nearby benches for tired park visitors. In 2004, the Fountain underwent a restoration project sponsored by the Louisville Olmsted Parks Conservancy and Louisville Metro. (KTF)