Port
Townsend Historical Sites
Name: Haller Statue and Fountain
Year Built: Presented to Port Townsend in 1906
Location: Washington and Taylor Streets
Area: Downtown Port Townsend
The Haller Statue and Fountain, located at the base of the Taylor Street stairs, was ordered from a catalog in 1905. Theordore Haller dedicated the statue in it's current location on Washington and Taylor. "Galatea" was recast by Riverdog Fine Arts Foundry in 1994 thanks to the fundraising efforts of the Kiwanis Club after one arm had been broken off.
Originally cast by the J. L. Mott Foundry in New York, which made plumbing fixtures, the statue dates from 1875-1919. The artist is unknown.
Galatea's sister statue, Venus Rising from the Sea at Kimberly Crest Gardens in Redlands, CA was remade from the original cast after being damaged. Mark Stevenson, a local Port Townsend artist was commissioned to complete the replica. The fountain was delivered and installed October 22, 2002.
A similar fountain, The Central Fountain of St James Court, in Old Louisville, KY, marks the center of the original Southern Exposition of 1883
Wolcott Falls Park in Wolcott New York has a painted cast iron version of "Venus Rising From the Sea" which was installed there in 1913.
The Port Townsend Main Street Program held a 100th birthday party for Galatea in 2006. Steve Corra, a dedicated parks employee until he died of cancer in 2006, wanted to see the Haller Fountain area as a community gathering place. That is now reality with seating, new lanscaping and a drinking fountain for adults, kids and dogs!
For more information check out the following sites:
Jefferson County
Museum
Kimberly
Crest Gardens
St
James Court Fountain in Louisville, KY
National Trust for Historic Preservation "This Place Matters"
Thanks to Norman Nezelkewicz for contributions to this page. Some data modified from the National Register Information System. Many descriptions used by permission of the Port Townsend Chamber of Commerce. All material copyrighted by PTguide.com.
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