Hello Bear Family!
Fountain Day is 13 days away! Every year, Fountain Day marks the reopening of John Q. Hammons Fountain. We celebrate this glorious day by having a huge festival with free food, lots of fun activities, and giveaways for the whole campus community! This is an awesome event that you cannot experience anywhere else than right here at MO State.
John Q. Hammons Fountain began operation on August 18th, 1980 and is named after the late Springfield business man, philanthropist, and MSU alum John Q. Hammons. The construction of the fountain cost $360,000 and was fully funded by Hammons himself. Hammons’ vision for the fountain was to be “an inviting showplace for students between classes and will also offer a place with a serene setting where students can relax after studying “. Since its addition to campus 37 years ago, Hammons vision has become reality. Hammons Fountain has become one of the biggest and most beloved icons of Missouri State. With its location in the heart of campus, nearly everyone walks by or sees this beautiful marvel on their daily campus commute. Nearly every day, especially in the spring and summer, you can find students sitting around the fountain relaxing or studying. Feeling the cool fountain mist is a feeling all Bears know and love and dipping your feet in the Fountain has become a major campus tradition. The fountain also contains the wishes and dreams of people from all over the world, as many put coin wishes into the fountain hoping they become true.
Hammons Fountain is a major part of the Missouri State experience and a landmark of our campus. That is why we make Fountain Day such a special day. Thanks to Traditions Council, Fountain Day has become the major event that it is today. In the inaugural Fountain Day in 2016, there was tons of free food, rides, inflatables, various crafts such as making wish jars with the Fountain’s water, BearWear giveaways, games, and more! It was one of the best events I have ever attended in my time as a Bear and has become my favorite campus tradition. This year, Fountain Day will be held on Thursday, April 6th from 11-2 PM at Hammons Fountain. People from all around campus (including faculty, staff, and administrators) celebrate this joyous day. Nowhere else will your student get to be a part of such a unique campus experience. Your student should mark Fountain Day on their calendar and get ready to have a blast!
Thanks for reading and Go Bears!
Max
P.S. Here are some Hammons Fountain Fun Facts!
- It is said to be modeled after the Caesar’s Palace Fountain in Las Vegas.
- It turns back on every year in early-mid April and shuts off in October.
- It holds about 200,000 gallons of water and uses 40-50 horsepower motors to power its water jets.
- It is connected to a wind speed tracker system on top of Temple Hall so it can automatically adjust its water speed based on how windy it is. This technology allows the fountain to distribute the appropriate amount of mist each day.
- About $7-$8 worth of coins are thrown into the Fountain each year.
- It takes about 3 weeks of work to get Hammons Fountain ready to be reopened every year.
- On a typical day, the Fountain is on from 7:45 AM to 10 PM.
- Known as Missouri State’s “Fountain Guy”, Leonard A. Haymans III has been the mechanic of Hammons Fountain for nearly a decade. Follow the link for a 2017 interview with Haymans: http://magazine.missouristate.edu/2017/01/31/everything-youve-ever-wanted-know-fountains/