MU Memorial Fountain replaced after its base is restored, upgraded

HUNTINGTON -- The Memorial Fountain is back in its place behind Marshall University's Memorial Student Center. And it will be even more breathtaking than before, said Mark Cutlip, director of Marshall's physical plant.

Workers used a 350-ton crane to lift the repaired and enhanced sculpture from a temporary pad to its original place.

"We picked it up and kept it low to the ground because of breezy conditions (Wednesday), and it set down perfectly on top of the anchor bolts. Now it's resting on a new granite foundation," Cutlip said.

The sculpture, which stands 13 feet high and weighs 6,500 pounds, was sculpted by Harry Bertoia and installed in 1972 in honor of the 75 people who died when the football team's plane crashed on Nov. 14, 1970.

The fountain is turned off every year on the anniversary of the crash, and it will be turned on again this year during a formal dedication ceremony scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 9.

The $200,000 improvement project started because of deterioration at the base of the fountain, Cutlip said. Marshall President Stephen Kopp commissioned a committee that included family members of the plane crash victims, along with Steve Hensley, dean of students; Ron Area of the Marshall University Foundation; Donald Van Horn, dean of the College of Fine Arts; Anita Lockridge, the senior vice president for finances; and Cutlip.

They decided it was time for upgrades, Cutlip said, "so we went from an all-cement fountain with blue interior to a completely granite interior and base.

"We're going to have a new tray right under the fountain so that when water flows from the fountain, it will look like it was intended -- it will be sitting on water and look like it's floating in water," he said.

"It will be a lot more spectacular than it used to be. We wanted to make sure we enhanced it and didn't change the significance of anything."

In the new pool, water piping and electric cords will not be exposed as they were before. The renovated fountain also has a ground fault system for electrical safety.

M.C. Colm Sears Monument Co. of Huntington, owned by John Sears, is the company through which materials were purchased, Cutlip said. The company that did the installation is Hilbert Tile and Marble, owned by Tom Hilbert.

Weather for the transfer was perfect, Cutlip said.

"We almost thought it might be too breezy for the crane, but as we went to lift it, the wind calmed down," he said.

The project should be completed by Tuesday, April 1.

"I think we did it justice, I really did it," he said.