Uptown Jackson's 'centerpiece' in need of repair and update

The fountain on the grounds of the former Cape Girardeau County Courthouse in Jackson is 60 years old and it still works, albeit not as well as when it debuted in 1962.

"I would say the fountain functions at about a 30% to 40% level, but Father Time has taken its toll and a renovation is needed," said Paul Sander, Jackson 1st Ward alderman and the city's longtime former mayor.

Sander is the city's representative to the Uptown Jackson Revitalization Organization (UJRO), whose executive director Janna Clifton has identified updating the John F. Kennedy-era fountain as a priority.

"It's a good project for UJRO and the reality is, so many things on that fountain are worn out."

Sander admits any fountain revitalization project is just in the talking phase.

"We're in the very early stages and we haven't really had any discussions yet but I'm in favor of a combined effort of UJRO, the City of Jackson and Cape Girardeau County to get the fountain back to 100%," Sander said.

Issues

Peewee Keys, Cape Girardeau County's building and grounds supervisor, noted one ongoing problem is the lack of illumination -- a feature of the original fountain.

"It used to have lights in it that functioned at one time but there got to be a leak and water ran through the conduit. Because of this, we had to eliminate the electric for the lights for risk reasons. With a little work, those lights could be back into function," Keys said.

"The fountain runs on a gear drive which changes the heights of the jet streams and it's actually a pretty simple system. It was pretty hard to keep algae out of it, so we put a filtration system in, essentially pool tablets, the last three years -- and the water is a lot cleaner.

A view to the south from the steps of the former Cape Girardeau County Courthouse in October 1971 shows the courtyard fountain and a part of Jackson's business district in the background.Stephen Robertson ~ Southeast Missourian archive

"I had it sandblasted probably seven years ago and got it all sealed up and repainted."

The motor, Keys said, will probably need to be rebuilt at some point and maintenance is an ongoing concern.

"(The fountain) is not a lot of upkeep but you've got to clean it and get the leaves and other debris out of it, so it doesn't get pulled down into the drain."

What's next

Sander said he anticipates UJRO will take the lead on updating the fountain and keeping the two governmental bodies -- the county and City of Jackson -- involved, interested and invested in financing any necessary work.

"I think it'll all come down to cost, about how difficult it will be getting the necessary parts or if the determination is made that a total renovation be needed. We're on the way to finding out," he said, adding no effort has been made to identifying a possible expense for the project.

Keys, whose department has taken the lead on maintenance and upkeep, remembers a time a decade or so ago, when the fountain was inoperable.

"My former boss, (the late) Don McQuay, told us this responsibility has been inherited so let's get the fountain up and running," Keys recalled.

"It's going to take a little ingenuity, some thinking and maybe a little money to get everything back to where it was."

Keys said the fountain is a cherished part of Jackson's history.

"You don't see a lot of fountains anymore and it's kind of cool to have one. When you have events, people sit at the edge of it and throw nickels and dimes and quarters inside. The fountain is a centerpiece of the Old Courthouse and of Jackson itself."