Buckingham Fountain shut down for maintenance until further notice
By Adam Harrington, Todd Feurer
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CHICAGO (WBBM) — Chicago’s iconic Buckingham Fountain has been shut down for maintenance until further notice due to a mechanical problem, the Chicago Park District said on Tuesday.
“This morning, our beloved 99-year-old fountain experienced a mechanical issue upon being turned on, and our engineers are working on assessing the situation, and getting it back up and running smoothly. We foresee it being turned off at least through tomorrow,” Park District spokeswoman Irene Tostado said in an email.
Buckingham Fountain, meant to represent Lake Michigan, opened in 1927 and is still one of the largest fountains in the world.
Its wedding cake-style design was inspired by the Latona Fountain at the Palace of Versailles. The sets of sea horses symbolize the four states the lake touches: Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Indiana.
Buckingham Fountain’s display uses as much as 15,000 gallons of water per minute and sprays water 150 feet into the air.
The fountain is operational from early May through mid-October annually, from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily.
In 2024, the fountain was briefly shut down after its water was dyed red by protesters against the war in Gaza.
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