When the Lakeview Park Fountain was New – May 1936

Late 1930s view

Everything is new at some point, including Lorain's landmarks. The article above, which appeared on the front page of the Lorain Journal and Times-Herald on May 16, 1936 – 78 years ago today – announces the upcoming unveiling of the iconic Lakeview Park fountain on Memorial Day, May 30th.

The short article points out that the fountain would provide 60 changes of water design and color effects every six minutes while in operation. It also notes that the fountain was a federal aid project, built with sandstone from the Amherst quarries.

The fountain – like the park's Easter Basket – looms larges in the collective memories of Lorain's citizens. I remember many times my parents would pull into Lakeview Park and er, uh park, so that my siblings and I – sometimes in our pajamas – could watch the fountain change colors.

Also like the Easter Basket, the fountain has been the subject of many postcards over the years.