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Bronze mermaid sculpture in a basin near the heart of the Country Club Plaza. One of the most-recognized Plaza fountains; a popular photo location.
History
The Mermaid Fountain is one of the Country Club Plaza’s signature smaller fountains, installed in approximately 1950 during a period of Plaza public-art investment by the J.C. Nichols Company. Like many Plaza fountains, it was commissioned to enhance the European-piazza aesthetic Nichols sought for the Plaza shopping district.1
The bronze mermaid figure has weathered to a distinctive verdigris green, contributing to the fountain’s place in Plaza visual identity. The sculpture has been repositioned and restored over the decades; the current location is near the 47th Street / Wyandotte area of the Plaza.
Architecture + materials
Cast bronze mermaid figure atop a low-basin bronze fountain. Water spills from a central column.
Current status
Operating, with seasonal off-period in winter.
Cultural significance
The Mermaid Fountain is among the most-photographed of the Plaza’s smaller fountains. Generations of Plaza-goers have posed at it; the fountain frequently appears in social media tagged with the Plaza.
The fountain sits within the broader Plaza fountain ecosystem — a dense cluster of 15-20 fountains across the Plaza district that includes the J.C. Nichols Memorial Fountain, the Pomerene Memorial Fountain, the Boy and Frog Fountain, and several others.
Visiting
- Address: Country Club Plaza, near 47th + Wyandotte, Kansas City, MO
- Best time to visit: Spring through fall
- Public access: Free; Plaza public spaces are open 24 hours
Sources
Footnotes
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Country Club Plaza Inc. — Plaza fountains historical guide.. ↩