The Berger Fountain, more familiarly called the Dandelion Fountain, has been an iconic part of Loring Park since 1975 when Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin Berger donated it to the City of Minneapolis.
Sadly, the fountain that has drawn people with its unique design and beauty for decades has fallen into disrepair.
Fortunately, local community organizations, specifically the Friends of Loring Park and Citizens for Loring Park Community, have rallied to create an updated design and raise the necessary funds to restore the fountain via the Berger Fountain Task Force.
History of the Berger Fountain
Ben Berger, the president of the then Minneapolis Lakers (now Los Angeles Lakers), owner of several movie theaters and a park board commissioner, traveled to Australia in the 1970s.
While there, he was taken with the El Alamein Memorial Fountain designed by Robert Woodward as a WWII memorial to the Australian 9th Division, who prevailed against the Axis powers in Egypt. The fountain has a unique design with 211 stalks extending off the main globe. This, coupled with 550 gallons of water per minute pumped through the stalk tubes, creates a dandelion effect with mesmerizingly beautiful cascading water.
Berger returned to Minneapolis determined to bring such beautiful artwork to his city, but ran into a few obstacles.
First was the age-old issue of expense. Berger was shocked to learn what the cost would be to commission a similar fountain. However, the financial answer arrived in 1973 thanks to “The Exorcist.”
The Exorcist.
No other movie theater chain booked the famous horror film, and Berger ended up with a film that became the highest grossing horror film of all time. Berger joked that the popcorn sales alone covered the price of the fountain.
Berger originally thought that the fountain would be housed at the Walker Art Center in its new sculpture garden. However, the Walker declined as the fountain would be a copy and not an original artwork.
He looked across the street and found a home at Loring Park.
Robert Woodward’s fountain head was assembled in Australia and shipped to Minneapolis.
The architectural firm of Liebenberg, Smiley, Glotter Associates designed the base in cooperation with the artist. General contractors Adolphson and Peterson assembled the fountain and built its basin.
The fountain instantly became a popular destination to gather at all times of day, attracting people from around the city, region and country.
Of course, the fountain requires continual upkeep. The community has come forward on numerous occasions to support the fountain when it needed it.
When the motor went out, the community raised $60,000 in ten days for its repair. In time the quick fixes were unable to keep the fountain functioning.
Mary Bujold, the chair of the Berger Fountain Task Force, said, “We came to the realization that the fountain needed an overhaul and a full restoration after the park board shut it down in 2018.”
Community Collaboration
Friends of Loring Park and Citizens for a Loring Park Community advocated for the fountain to become a part of the park board’s master plan for downtown parks, eventually leading to approval for the restoration project.
In 2021 the Berger Fountain Task Force contracted landscape architectural firm Damon-Farber to do a pre-design study to rehabilitate the fountain.
Focus groups, surveys, pop-up park exhibits, information booths and neighborhood meetings provided critical community input, with improved lighting at the top of the public’s wish list.
A final design for the project debuted in August 2023 at National
Night Out in Loring Park. The design features the fountain remaining in its original location with its original size and cascading pools. However, there will be a new triangular plaza around the fountain with additional seating, enhanced gathering spaces and decorative flower planters to separate the plaza from the street.
Fundraising is nearly complete but needs your help in closing the gap.
The issue that initially faced Bob Berger in 1973 has resurfaced — a fountain is expensive! Currently the restoration budget is $1.2 million. Fortunately, the hard work of the task force has paid off, and the project is nearing its fundraising goal.
"We project $600,000 from private donations to match another $500,000 from park dedication fees, grants and hopefully park board maintenance dollars" reported Bujold, the head of the task force.
“Many donations have already come in, including a large one from California, showing again the national draw of the Dandelion Fountain. The restoration should be beginning soon!”
Please consider supporting this effort with a tax-deductible charitable donation to restoring this magnificent fountain. To donate, please visit https://loringpark.org/berger-fountain
