Where’s Poseidon Placard Short Version(1)Where’s Poseidon?
The historic Poseidon cast iron
fountain next to the Salem Public
Library has not been operating
for many years, and is quickly
deteriorating!
The fountain has been covered
until we can afford a restoration,
which is projected to be at least
$200,000.
Fountain History
The fountain was cast by the
Robert Wood and Co Foundry in
Philadelphia as part of Capt.
John Bertram’s estate, which was
later donated to the city as a
Public Library. It has survived
scrap metal drives from the Civil
War, WW I and WW II.
Current State of the Fountain
It has not worked for 6 years –does not hold
or circulate water -and leaks badly. Worse
yet, widespread rust due to lack of
maintenance threatens the future of the iron
castings.
Donors should make checks payable to The
Trustees of the Salem Public Library, with the
words “fountain restoration” in the memo line.
Checks can either be mailed to Tara Mansfield,
Director, Salem Public Library, 370 Essex Street,
Salem MA 01970 or brought to the library in
person and dropped off at the circulation desk.
The Trustees of the Salem Public Library is a
501c3 tax-exempt organization.
Please help us
bring Poseidon back!
From a 2018 professional survey of the
fountain: Time is not a friend to this
fountain. The damage being done to it by
the weather is increasing. Also, costs
related to construction and fabrication of
replacement parts are increasing…
This is a rare surviving artifact from its
time period and deserves to be cared for
so that it survives into the future.
Check our progress on Facebook -
Friends of the Salem Public Library
Fountain
How Can You Help?
We are looking for financing from a variety of
sources –library maintenance funds, city
money, CPA funding, state and federal grants,
private funds from library patrons, neighbors,
local businesses and anyone interested in Salem
history.