Portal:Chicago/Selected article/91

Fountain of Time, or simply Time, is a sculpture by Lorado Taft, measuring 126 feet 10 inches (38.66 m) in length, situated at the western edge of the Midway Plaisance within Washington Park in Chicago. This location is in the Washington Park community area on Chicago's South Side. Inspired by Henry Austin Dobson's poem, "Paradox of Time", and with its 100 figures passing before Father Time, the work was created as a monument to the first 100 years of peace between the United States and Great Britain, resulting from the Treaty of Ghent in 1814. Although the fountain's water began running in 1920, the sculpture was not dedicated to the city until 1922. The sculpture is a contributing structure to the Washington Park United States Registered Historic District, which is a National Register of Historic Places listing. Part of a larger beautification plan for the Midway Plaisance, Time was the first finished work of art made of concrete. Before the completion of Millennium Park in 2004 it was considered the most important installation in the Chicago Park District. Time is one of several Chicago works of art funded by Benjamin Ferguson's trust fund. Time has undergone several restorations, due to the deterioration and decline caused natural and urban elements. During the late 1990s and the first few years of the 21st century it underwent repairs that corrected many of the problems caused by these restorations. Although extensive restoration of the sculpture has been completed as recently as 2005, supporters of Time continue to seek resources for additional lighting, and the National Trust for Historic Preservation has nominated it for further restoration funding.