Du Pen Fountain

In December 1955, the state hired Paul Thiry, a famous architect, to design the new Washington State Library Building at the Capitol. Thiry's T-shaped building, costing $8.5 million, started construction two years later. The design included a fountain in front of the library. Everett Du Pen was chosen to design and build the fountain.

The fountain’s central group was cast in copper-enriched bronze chosen to complement the library building architecture, to weather the outdoor setting, and to age beautifully as the patina of the surface develops over time. Interestingly, at the time of the fountain’s creation there were no bronze foundries in the West large enough to handle a sculpture of this size. Therefore, the fountain’s forms were cast in Brooklyn, N.Y. and shipped to Olympia for assembly.

The entire group of figures weighs around 900 pounds and rests on a cantilevered basin. Water flows in a sheet from a top container to a pool lined with green terrazzo below. The contrast between the flying spray in the top basin and the quiet pool below evokes a sense of movement, which is further enhanced by lights reflecting off the bronze forms at night. The State Library Building, now known as the Joel M. Pritchard Building, which includes the Du Pen Fountain, was dedicated on January 23, 1959.

Design Elements

• Seagulls: Four soaring above rippling waves.
• Salmon: Two leaping on either side.
• Crab: Positioned behind the seagulls, level with the waves.

Symbolism

• State Vigor and Strength: Represented by the seagulls, salmon, and crab.
• Natural Resources: Light, air, and water symbolize Washington’s abundance.