Holley residents, village leaders and local officials gathered Saturday morning, September 20 for the dedication of the renovated and repaired century-old Salisbury Fountain.
“This is a significant year,” Holley Mayor John Kenney said. 2014 marks the 100th anniversary of the presentation of the statue to the village in August of 1914 by Mrs. Abraham Salisbury in memory of her husband. Additionally, the fountain has a second dedication plaque from the Women’s Christian Temperance Union.
The fountain is over nine feet tall and is situated in the Public Square in the center of the village. It is constructed of bronzed iron which is now painted a silver color. Mayor Kenney said the village utilized $15,000 for the fountain project from the 2012 Main Street Grant allotted for “streetscape work to beautify the village. We hope to secure a cover for the winter, but that is not finished yet,” he added.
The repair/renovation work was completed by the department of public works and K.M. Verhagen, who the mayor said was hired with grant funds to complete the sandblasting of the fountain. New stainless hardware was installed and broken casting welded. Holley resident and artist Tony Barry worked on the finishing touches highlighting details as an “accent to bring out the egg and dart design and the Victorian motif,” he said. His work adds light and dark contrast on the fountain, something which Mayor Kenney noted helps in “reading the dedication – it’s much, much better now,” the mayor observed.
The infrastructure of the fountain was also repaired and the fountain is now connected to the village water system.
In historical accounts provided by the mayor, it is stated that the fountain was constructed for ornamental value. “On one side is a large commodious trough for watering horses and on the other an absolutely sanitary white metal fountain for the public … even the canines have not been overlooked … near the bottom of the fountain is a trough for their use.”
Mayor Kenney said the fountain has been hidden behind plastic sheeting recently in advance of the unveiling, leading many residents to question village board members about “what’s behind the plastic? Now, everybody knows,” the mayor said.
He added that he was pleased by the number of people who attended the dedication on the 20th and that the event and fountain renovation help to “educate newer members of the community as well as all residents to take pride in what we have here.”
Photos by Kristina Gabalski
