Hydro Dramatics, St. Louis Architect Make A Huge Summertime Splash With New Interactive Fountain And Pool In Tower Grove Park

Record Heat Helps Turn The Muckerman Fountain Into The Cool Place To Be For Crowds Of St. Louis Kids And Grown-ups

The new Muckerman Children’s Fountain--created by St. Louis-based fountain consulting firm Hydro Dramatics and designed by Tower Grove Park architect Philip Cotton Jr.--is providing a welcome oasis to children and adults alike during St. Louis’ second-hottest summer on record.

The newest landmark in historic Tower Grove Park, the Muckerman Children’s Fountain is a popular, interactive water feature that “exemplifies the concept of fountains as ‘liquid magnets,’” says Kerry Friedman, vice president and general manager for Hydro Dramatics. The Muckerman fountain combines a large, central limestone urn highlighted by a dramatic curtain of water that spills over the edge onto the pop-jet area where “kids of all ages” can play, splash about or simply cool off. The main fountain is surrounded by 42 pop jets that sporadically propel streams of water up to four feet high.

“This type of fountain system is highly technical and must be carefully integrated,” says Friedman. “All controls and timed devices for the fountain have been fully automated and located in a special vault. The end result is a beautiful, accessible and unique water feature.”

“The fountain and pool’s popularity with children is an immense pleasure to see,” says Cotton, who has served as Tower Grove Park architect for several decades and has restored most of the park’s historic structures. “Our concept was to create a water feature that was appealing to children and beautiful, while being respectful of the historic architecture of Tower Grove Park.” Cotton said the design also was meant to be in harmony with, but not imitating, the fountain’s setting in the heart of Tower Grove Park adjacent to the 1914 pool pavilion and urns designed by St. Louis architect Ernst Janssen.

The new fountain was made possible through a bequest from the family of the late Dr. Richard and the late Barbara Hagnauer Muckerman.

In addition to the Muckerman Children’s Fountain, Hydro Dramatics has had an exceptionally long history of lending its “liquid expertise” to the Shaw area neighborhood, having created, designed and maintained nearly every fountain and water feature at the 79-acre Missouri Botanical Garden for the past 30 years. The firm recently completed several new water features at the Garden including the Doris I. Schnuck Children’s Garden: A Missouri Adventure, the George Washington Carver Garden and the Ottoman Garden.

Established in 1972, Hydro Dramatics is a division of Missouri Machinery & Engineering Co. Inc. (www.momach.com). This affiliation enhances Hydro Dramatics’ technological and fountain creative expertise and provides its design team with direct access to the fabrication/manufacturing capabilities needed to tackle the most sophisticated fountain projects.

Hydro Dramatics created the Gateway Geyser, the world’s tallest fountain, on the East St. Louis riverfront. Among recently completed projects are the water features at the renovated Grand Basin and Jewel Box in Forest Park, the Cypress Swamp at the Saint Louis Zoo and the fountains at Saint Louis University.

In addition to creating fountains locally, regionally and nationally, Hydro Dramatics provides fountain equipment overseas. The firm’s recent international projects include designing and creating fountains in such locations as San Juan, Puerto Rico; within the city of Doha, Qatar; and at the U.S. Embassy in Moscow.

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Media contact: Patricia Binder, 636-441-0022, or Debra Finkel, 314-878-1213, Finkel & Co. Communications, agent for Hydro Dramatics.