Hermon Lee Ensign Horse and Dog Fountain ~ Bristol, Tennessee. - Relocated Structures on Waymarking.com

A 1907 Hermon Lee Ensign National Humane Alliance horse and small animal watering fountain on display outside of Akard funeral home in Bristol, Tennessee.


The National Humane Alliance fountains are a series of granite drinking fountains distributed by the National Humane Alliance, intended to provide fresh drinking water for horses, dogs, cats, and people. About 125 of the fountains were donated to cities throughout the United States and Mexico between 1904 and 1912. Most of the fountains have been removed from their original sites, usually in the center of busy intersections, but at least 70 of them are still publicly viewable. Two examples are listed on the National Register of Historic Places: one in Des Moines, Iowa (also known as the Southeast Water Trough) and one in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

"The National Humane Alliance was established by Hermon Lee Ensign in 1897. An entry from the 1898 World Almanac Encyclopedia describes the organization; “While the Alliance is not exactly a charity, it is founded on humanitarian ideas. It desires to educate people, particularly the rising generation, to be kind and gentle among themselves and to treat all dumb animals humanely…” Mr. Ensign died in 1899 leaving most of his considerable wealth to the Alliance. After the bequest, the organization shifted its primary focus from education to the distribution of the fountains. Between 1906 and 1912 the National Humane Alliance donated over 125 drinking fountains for animals to different cities across the United States and Mexico."

Original Location: N 36° 35.711 W 082° 11.098 How it was moved: Wheels / Dolly / Truck Type of move: Inside City Building Status: Public Related Website: [Web Link]

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Date Logged Log User Rating   02/01/2020 Manville Possum visited it