Few People Know The Iconic Mill Creek Park Fountain In Missouri Was Actually Imported From France

A stroll through Kansas City offers the perfect opportunity to get to know the vibrant Missouri city. If it’s your first time in the city, you’ll notice quite a few fountains, likely more than you've seen in any other city in Missouri - and beyond. However, Mill Creek Park Fountain in Missouri is the most recognizable, and it comes with a fascinating backstory.

Anyone who has spent considerable time in Kansas City has likely noticed the many fountains that dot the city landscape. Kansas City, with 48, is said to have more fountains than Rome.

It should come as little surprise then that Kansas City has earned the nickname “The City of Fountains.” Each has its own story, including the Mill Creek Park Fountain, widely considered the most popular fountain in Kansas City.

Designed by Henri-Léon Gréber in France in 1910, the fountain was created for New York businessman Clarence Mackay’s (pictured below) Long Island mansion.

The fountain features four horsemen, said to symbolize the world’s four most powerful rivers: the Seine, Rhine, Volga, and Mississippi. Four children play with dolphins in the fountain, too.

Unfortunately, as the years passed, the fountain fell into disrepair, largely at the hands of vandals. It made its journey from New York to Kansas City in 1951.

Because of the funding by J.C. Nichols and his family, the fountain was resorted to its former glory by Herman Simon. The fountain was originally named after Nichols, but the name was removed after a vote by the Board of Parks and Recreation Commissioner during the summer of 2020.

Today, the Mill Creek Park Fountain is perhaps the most widely-recognized of the city’s 48 fountains. It’s also photographed more than any other fountain in Kansas City.

Find more information on the Kansas City Parks & Recreation website. Or, stop by its Facebook page.

Did you know the story behind this iconic fountain in Missouri? Let us know in the comments! Then take a peek at these little-known things about Missouri’s history.