Century-old South Bend fountain set for $650K restoration

SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) - An elaborate fountain that was once a symbol of civic pride in South Bend is set for a nearly $650,000 restoration.

The 112-year-old Studebaker Electric Fountain's remaining pieces, including three dolphin-riding cherubs, were loaded into a vehicle last week for their journey to Ohio for the restoration that's being financed by donations.

The South Bend Tribune reports that an Oberlin, Ohio, company will restore those elements and recast missing pieces. The restored fountain will be unveiled in summer 2019 at a South Bend park.

The 28-foot-tall fountain featuring colored electric lighting was unveiled in 1906, and was a gift from Studebaker Corp. co-founder and president John M. Studebaker.

The deteriorating fountain was removed in 1941. It went missing until 2009, when its remaining sections were donated to a local museum.

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Information from: South Bend Tribune, http://www.southbendtribune.com