The Cedar Dreams Fountain: Public Art and Community Icon

This article is the second of a two-part series on the history and significance of Edmonds central traffic circle at Fifth and Main. covered the history of this spot prior to installation of the Cedar Dreams Fountain. This week, we look at the Cedar Dreams Fountain and learn what makes it a special and significant work of art and how it reflects and enhances the City of Edmonds.

Paris has the Eiffel Tower, Rome has the Coliseum, Athens has the Parthenon. It may not be as famous as those well-known structures, but Edmonds has its own icon: the Cedar Dreams fountain.

Located in the roundabout at the intersection of Fifth Avenue and Main Street, the Cedar Dreams fountain is the latest in a succession of structures to occupy the town's central traffic circle.

The traffic circle and original fountain were created in 1973 and 1974 with encouragement by local businessman Al Kincaid. When the City of Edmonds Arts Commission and Public Art program was created in 1975, the site became an official part of the public art collection. City codes mandate a formal selection process to choose appropriate works to occupy these sites.

When the original free-form copper fountain was destroyed by an out-of-control automobile in 1998, the City of Edmonds began a search and selection process for an appropriate public art installation to take its place.

While the selection process proceeded, a white wooden gazebo was installed in the roundabout as a temporary place holder. Built as a set prop for a made-for-TV movie filmed in Edmonds in 1998, the gazebo had a certain charm but lacked structural integrity or artistic merit. In 1999 it was moved to Dayton Street near Harbor Square, where it remained for several years.

After reviewing several proposals, in 1999 the city chose the current design to replace the original fountain. Designed by Seattle artist Benson Shaw and funded by a grant from the Edmonds Arts Festival Foundation, it called for creation of a public space built around a central fountain and pergola and tied the roadway and adjoining sidewalks into the overall design. Construction began in late 1999, and in May 2000 Edmonds Mayor Gary Haakenson formally dedicated the fountain in a gala ribbon-cutting ceremony.

The central pergola incorporates structural references to the historic architecture of the city. The steeple on Edmonds' first church (see Patch article ""), the cupola on the historic Hyner house (see Patch article "") and the arched doorway of the Carnegie Library are all reflected in its design. The upright pillars topped by lacelike metalwork evoke the forests of Edmonds' past. The concrete railing encircling the base is reminiscent of a steamship wheel, and the columns supporting the railing were shaped so that the spaces between them look like cedar trees.

Unlike the original fountain, Shaw's design is not limited to the center of the traffic circle but extends across the roadbed and surrounding sidewalks. The roadway, made up of contrasting concrete in a spiral design reminiscent of a circular sawmill blade, pays homage to Edmonds' industrial roots (see Patch article ""). The surrounding sidewalks feature benches repeating the design of the pergola balustrade, interpretive plaques set in the concrete and metal and glass inlays representing droplets of coastal fog on Western Red Cedar foliage.

Severely damaged in 2006 by what has been reported as a suicidal motorist, the central pergola was rebuilt according to the original design.

Today the Edmonds Cedar Dreams Fountain provides a focal point of community identity and serves as a symbol for the city. The design enhances the town's sense of itself and its heritage while creating an inviting and visually appealing public space.

For more information, download the informational brochure "Cedar Dreams" from the Edmonds Arts Commission.