Burnside Fountain - Worcester, MA - Converted Fountains on Waymarking.com

Burnside Fountain, was more commonly known as Boy with a Turtle and more recently Turtle Boy. It's a controversial piece of public art on the southern tip of the Worcester Common. Some love it while others abhor it. It was originally located in Central Square and moved to Worcester Common in 1969.

The fountain was a gift, accepted on April 6, 1904, to the City of Worcester from Harriet Burnside. Five thousand dollars was provided and Daniel Chester French commissioned to execute the work. He then he assigned the project to Charles Harvey. Sherry Edmundson Fry completed the work upon the death of Harvey. Henry Bacon designed the granite basin.

A young nude boy is in a squatting position. A hawksbill turtle is positioned on his lap and he is holding the turtle, behind the turtle's front flippers, by its shell. The impression is that he allowing the turtle to take him for a ride. The turtle is tilting to the right and it's mouth is open.

The pair are placed upon a small circular base in the center of a rectangular fountain basin. At both ends of the basin are a pair of bowls meant to be watering troughs for horses. A low bowl on the back of the basin was meant for dogs. At one time water would flow out of the turtles mouth, into a central depression and into the four bowls. The water supply is disconnected.

The front of the basin is inscribed: