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 Constructed by pink marble of Georgia. The Buckingham Fountain is one of the most popular attraction situated at the Grant Park and Worlds largest Fountains. Also known as “Clarence Buckingham Memorial Fountain” officially.
Donated to the city by Kate Buckingham in memory of her brother clarence on Aug 26, 1927. the Buckingham Fountain is Chicago's centerpiece along the Lake Michigan shore, and is a popular destination spot for visitors and locals alike. It was opened on May 26 of 1927.
Designed by Edward H. Bennett and built by Marcel Loyau,The four sea horses you see on its sides represent the four states that touch Lake Michigan: Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana and Michigan. Bennett attributed the design specifically to the influence of the Latona Basin in Louis XIV's gardens at Versailles. Kate also established a $300,000 trust fund to ensure that the taxpayers would never have to cover all of the repair and upkeep costs associated with the fountain.
Also the fund for $2.8 million restoration that was done in 1994 came from the Buckingham Fountain Endowment Fund, which the Art Institute of Chicago has administered. Funds from the Buckingham Fountain Endowment Fund also helped fund a portion of the 2008-2009 project. The Fountain's water has a capacity of 1.5 million gallons. Depending on wind conditions, major displays use approximately 14,100 gallons of water per minute conveyed through 134 jets. Water is re-circulated from the base pool after the basins are filled and not drawn from the outside except to replace losses from wind and evaporation.
 It measures 85m/280ft in diameter. It features 134 jets powered by 3 pumps.The fountain's hourly 20 minute water display starts with small sprays. While the basins are filled more and more jets are activated until it reaches its climax when the central jet pushes water up to a height of 46m/150ft. The animation is best seen at dusk - after 8 pm - when it is accompanied with music and beautifully animated with a now computerized choreography of color spotlights.
And in the bottom pool of the fountain is 280 feet in diameter, the lower basin is 103 feet, the middle basin is 60 feet and the upper basin is 24 feet. The lip of the upper basin is 25 feet above the water in the lower basin. The underground pump room is 35 feet long, 25 feet wide and 25 feet high.
The computer known as the Honeywell Excel-Plus is placed in the Fountain's pump house. The computer was moved here from Atlanta, Georgia, during the 1994 renovation. It also has the Fountain's alarm, a system similar to a store alarm, is monitored and dispatched through Honeywell Central Station in Arlington Heights.
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