Historical research by Joanne Hulbert and edited by Liz Theiler

It was presented to the town when the first water system was connected. Much of the money raised for the fountain was done by the ladies of Holliston who held fundraisers including an all-female minstrel show.

The first location of the fountain was in the middle of Hollis Street at the intersection with Washington Street – called Hollis Square. The photo shows the Congregational Church and the steeple behind the trees. You can also catch a glimpse of the old horse barn that once stood behind it where Jordan Hall now stands. What has sightly change today is that the driveway from the Church opens out on to Washington St. while it now opens to Hollis St.

Prior to this fountain we know that there was a water trough in front of Town Hall that provided water for men and beast, with a tin cup available for anyone to use to partake of the water. This water was provided by the Town Hall Well. Some people were curious whether the water was filtered through the numerous unidentified graves that were scattered in the area since colonial times and that some of those gravesites were found when Town Hall was built in the 1850’s. The poor old tin cup was sometimes riddled with buckshot making unusable. So having a modern fountain was the next best thing as the town headed to the 20^th century. And it also celebrated the arrival of the new water works.

On July 14, 1891, the Directors of the Holliston Water Company held a session and ratified Supt. Shippee’s offer to furnish water for the new drinking fountain, free of cost on the condition that the town votes to contract for the fire hydrants.

But at the town meeting of April 4, 1892, the contract with the water company for the use of the hydrants was cancelled. And by August 8, 1892, the townspeople were not happy. With the advent of the hot weather the water in the fountain is naturally warm and thus the lovers of a drink of good cool water are asking that the old pump be put in order again. By December 2, 1892, the water company shut off the supply to the water fountain due to the condition of the plumbing whereby two barrels of water unnecessarily runs to waste each day, creating a nuisance around approaches to the fountain, and which during cold weather causes a large amount of ice accumulation in the area. The other reason the water was shut off was the failure of the town to lease the hydrants, which was the condition on which the water company was to furnish the water free, and since they waited over a year for the town to fulfill their part of the bargain the water company felt amply justified in not further supplying free water.

Since the public utility of the fountain having been fully demonstrated, it was recommended that the selectmen should at once see that the plumbing is made right and enter into a contract with the water company for the needed water supply to keep the fountain running.

May 19, 1893, the selectmen have purchased a new pump.

The photo was taken sometimes after 1895 showing the fountain has been moved to Washington St.  The street railway is visible on Washington St. Surely its location and the arrival of automobiles would necessitate it removal to the side of Washington St, a location for many years, and finally, when more recent roadwork was completed on Washington St., the fountain was moved to the location on the side of Town Hall. Only to be moved again sometime in 2022.

The Holliston Water company would remain a private company until 1944 when the town finally took it over at the cost of about $250,000.

A Foot note– Not a Trough

The fountain was never intended for horses. It was built for the use of people when the town water system was first constructed. There was a well and pump in front of Town Hall that provided water in a trough.

June 4, 1893 – “Someone has stolen the cup to the drinking fountain. If they had taken the fountain and left the cup less people would be fooled daily expecting to water their horses. It is a standing monument to the non-enterprise of the town. If water is not to be let on, a sign should be placed thereon stating the fact that there is no water there and where it can be obtained so that the traveling public may know.”