First drinking fountain wasn’t just for humans
Palatine’s first public water fountain, built on Brockway Street in 1907, not only provided drinks to village residents and visitors, but also horses and dogs. (Courtesy of Palatine Historical Society)
In 1907, at a cost of $175, the village installed a public water fountain on Brockway Street, just west of Railroad Park near the Batterman Building.
It stood 4 feet 3 inches, allowing horses to drink without unhitching. The main bowl was 4 feet 7 inches across and 17 inches deep.
A small bowl on the side accommodated children and pedestrians without the drinking cup coming in contact with the main bowl. A dog bowl was near the base.
• This is the 127th of 150 vignettes about Palatine history to be published in the Daily Herald, as part of the village’s sesquicentennial celebration.
