Fountains in California: The Wurlitzer Fountain and The Dolphin Fountain
Situated just right behind the Paper Caper retail store, the Wurlitzer Fountain is considered to be one of the most amazing well-kept treasures of Burlingame. It is a bronze fountain which was made by a German sculptor named Walter Schott in 1910. He named it as Drei tanzende Madchen or translated as the Three Dancing Maidens.
The maker made the fountain out of a total of 37 different castings before he reached his own satisfaction and considered it as his shining accomplishment. It was given the Grand Prize during The World Exposition in Brussels on that same year and also won the Great Gold Medal in the Munich Glass Palace Exhibition in year 1912.
It was Rudolph Wurlitzer who first brought the fountain and shipped it to his Ohio home where he placed it near their family swimming pool. During the 1950s, Raimund, his son once again moved the fountain to Burlingame and situated it right behind his ownership of a commercial property. Its twin fountain version was placed in Central Park’s Conservatory Garden of New York.
On the other hand, the Dolphin Fountain in Cerritos is a favorite site amongst children located right at the heart of the Cerritos Civic Center. It was introduced to the public in February of 1997 being a portion of the renovation and rebuilding of the welcome entrance of the City Hall. This fountain measures 34 foot in diameter which displays jumping fountains which are cast in bronze embraced by spouting water and droplets of water that dance.
As the renovation happens, brand new staircases were made to serve as the City Hall’s first and second floors which were made to have an effect of wrapping the Dolphin fountain. There was also a ramp which was made for those who are in wheelchairs.
These very dolphin designs were made by an artist from Colorado named George Lundeen. Lundeen came from Nebraska and studied at the Academia de Belle Arte as a Fullbright-Hayes Scholar in Italy. He also has a master’s degree in Fine Arts in the University of Illinois and a bachelor degree in Hastings College.
He built his own studio for sculpture during the mid 70s in Colorado where he presently resides and enjoys his career. He has been assigned to do portrait sculptures, interpretative works for various establishments and he has been given top awards by the National Sculpture Society and the National Academy of Design and Allied Artists of America.
Regardless of the different views that surround the place of the area of downtown plaza, it can still be clearly seen that it still lights up beautifully during night time. There is still the presence of the fence around it but it was scheduled last November 13 of 2006 to be put down, according to the general service director of the city.
The said fountain runs longer during the summer season and when there are special events to be held. The city also double-checked the water system of the fountain and added chess tables all around.