Monday, October 20, 2008
Ask the Troup: Presidential Fountain edition
A gray fountain commemorating a visiting president used to be near the old KLUV building in downtown Dallas; where did it go and who exactly was it for?
Travis Bush
All right, Alexander, you gave us great answers and then some, in the first Ask the Troup edition. This one might be a bit more difficult.
Everyone knows about the one monument to a President we have here in Dallas, but did you know there was another one? Much like the part of my memory that stored this information, the artifact is no longer with us. Digging through some old pictures got me to thinking about it and I have tried for a couple of days to find information on this fountain. Apparently it was dedicated to a visiting President, although there is little evidence of it ever existing that I could find.
Travis Bush
The gray granite fountain stood in the middle of the intersection near the old KLUV building downtown, on Commerce. On each side was a lion's head that one assumes spouted water in its heyday. I don't remember it functioning when I took the pictures, nor do I remember much from the early Nineties, but that is for another sordid, if not forgettable history lesson. The fountain itself must have been removed some time after 1991, which would have been after I took the photos. One also assumes that it disappeared in the name of progress, or whatever the City of Dallas called street improvement back then.
Perhaps he wasn't a popular president, or we didn't really mean it when we dedicated the fountain to his visit? Finding out who the President was is probably our first obstacle in solving this mystery, along with the reason for his visit to our fair city. I also wonder if there are any remnants of it anywhere. Did it all go to the scrap heap and with it, another piece of Dallas history?
This article was submitted by a member of the Pegasus News community.
Email
|
Print
|
10 Comments
|
Contribute
|
-
»Content partner Richardson Echo starting online section to document Richardson history
-
»Video: An interesting, if dated, profile on WBAP's Hal Jay
-
»Dallas Heritage Village's Candlelight continues 38-year-old tradition
-
»Photo gallery: Crowds gather in Dealey Plaza to remember John F. Kennedy assassination
-
»Another series of Kessler Theater videos released
|
an event
|
a restaurant
|
|
a garage sale
|
a drink special
|
|
a movie showtime
|
local music
|
a job
|
a house
|
|
a deal
|
a pet
|
alexander troup, says:
That is a very obscure topic that came up 9 years ago, when the rest of the top, which is obscured or not in the photo.. was used to water the horses, as far as it placement today, like the old log cabin of John Neely Bryan founder of the town and later mega city, these items were suppost to have gone to Old City Park, and they did and then dissappeared, now the name and history of this fountain is many thing, over 100 years and so I am not going to say that is is this one thing, for sure... it is now gone... maybe in a private home for folks who raise fine horses...at any rate I am on the case ....thick or thin, until then..... Alexander Troup, realated to Inspector Cluso.
Verified
1 year, 1 month agoLink to this comment | Suggest removal
alexander troup, says:
Well it is a fact of logic or head sense, I got my brain kicked stated today..... while we should call this once 5 points of the City, Pershing Square.....now that is the center of this fountain set up around 1907, while an old popular African Amercian by the name of Ambros,back then..worked the carriage for Sanger Brothers and he would take a horse to water..and was said to have know all of the other family horse's in town, and every women shopper by name, whos kindness was equaled by his courtesy....thus the fountain was erected....by some freak event of love, until then water your horses on Pershing Square....Alexander Troup, Momunemt Manager.
Verified
1 year, 1 month agoLink to this comment | Suggest removal
alexander troup, says:
The.... Old KLIF..,Radio Station...located at the 5 points of Pershing square was owned by Gordon McLendon, Radio Czar in Dallas who sold out in 1967 for 15 million, This was the mother factory site for several star studded years in the 60s...KLIF began in 1947 and was located in the beginning at the Cliff Towers in Oak Cliff, I recall when they brought Sam the Sham to Dallas and highlited many events with other locals as well as [Somthing else] at the newly opened Northpark for Channel 8, during the Pop Culture revolution and evolution, until then you should of been here when I had more, ...Alex Troup...H.2.O
Verified
1 year, 1 month agoLink to this comment | Suggest removal
Travis Bush, says:
So the fountain was dedicated to Pershing eh? What was he doing in Dallas?
Verified
1 year, 1 month agoLink to this comment | Suggest removal
alexander troup, says:
They called this once very busy center... 5 points,while around 1916 they called the central area Pershing square, because that is where the volunteers, meet up when the Calvary and Reserve came togther, to then go after Poncho Villa on the border.... as that tale is told......some tales are twice told and twice as bad,....while what is that center today....the Observer was located there for many years....until then. alexander Troup, Roving Gypsi Grandson.
Verified
1 year, 1 month agoLink to this comment | Suggest removal
Travis Bush, says:
SO A.T., did he actually come to Dallas?
Verified
1 year, 1 month agoLink to this comment | Suggest removal
alexander troup, says:
It appears he did, but on several occasions it is only to get support for the Mexcian problem in 1916 and the after event of W.W.1, Black Jack Pershing was a very popular man, New York was a better dig then Dallas, while El Paso and San Antone,was his best home...lawman under the United States Army,....In 1907 the Humane Socity of New York gave the fountain,incare of horses and mules, when that was 5 points,then in 1919, the area became Pershing Square.. the reason the fountain was removed was, too many people kept running into it... knocking it over, it had meet its use after 1935, and so lets hope it is at Old City Park, whats next, Travis, good cover shot...how about John Neely Bryans cabin that disappeared....Alexander Troup, local tourist.
Verified
1 year, 1 month agoLink to this comment | Suggest removal
lakewooder, says:
Pershing Street is named for him in Cochran Heights - off Henderson behind the Old Monk Pub - home to many architectural masterpieces by Charles Steven Dilbeck.
Did you know the old KLIF building was once a Magnolia Station with office above? My daddy worked there for a bit before moving to the Magnolia Building.
I think I heard that fountain was donated by some family and it was moved to another location..I'll think more and maybe I shall remember...
Anonymous
1 year, 1 month agoLink to this comment | Suggest removal
Travis Bush, says:
Thanks lakewooder..always nice to have another perspective.
A.T..the next one might just test your historic acumen...we'll see here in a few days!
Verified
1 year, 1 month agoLink to this comment | Suggest removal
alexander troup, says:
And Old General Pershing finally made it to Dallas for the event in feb of 1919, while he would have a great life being a war hero,....Five points is a much more notorious name compared to the Five points in New York,of the 1830s to th 1870s, and again this was the boundary divide for the Dallas and sub-culture Dallas of the 1900s to the 1970s...the Lakewooder is also having some good recolletion on this and so what is next, before I have a labotomy...Doctor Travis, until then,... Alex Troup.H.2.0
Verified
1 year, 1 month agoLink to this comment | Suggest removal