The Tyler Davidson Fountain is revered as one of Cincinnati's most prominent landmarks. It has been an integral part of public life since it was erected in 1871 and is an important symbol of the city's identity.

But the fountain was beginning to show signs of age. In a conservation appraisal done in 1998 by Harry Weese Associates of Chicago, evidence was given of many problems with the fountain which, if not rectified in a timely manner, could have resulted in considerable damage to the fountain. It was discovered that the fountain's structural supports were failing, and the bronze statues themselves were beginning to crack and show evidence of corrosion. Most of these problems were attributed to the original design as well as to the restoration program that was done in 1970. When the fountain was moved to its present location in 1970, it was recognized that the pedestal bronze was cracking. Internal additions of steel and poured concrete were applied to the pedestal to take some of the weight of the upper sculptures. The steel was fixed to the original internal bronze structure of the pedestal and the concrete was poured against the bronze. Over the years this complex of concrete and steel has greatly deteriorated from extreme corrosion of the steel and internal weakening of the concrete. This was caused by freezing in the wet environment within the pedestal during the winter. Additional problems were discovered with staining of the stone by iron, and with the water display. Click on the links below to read more about these different problems.

The cracking of the Bronze

Iron Staining

Improper water features

The restoration project, which began in mid-August 1999 and ended in April of 2000, involved disassembling the fountain and cleaning and repairing the bronze and stone pieces. For more information on this process, see the next section, The Restoration Process Explained.