The Boy with the Leaking Boot Fountain Erected 1895,     
Recast 1947 - Daniel Nichols
This picturesque fountain originally served as Fresno’s first public
drinking fountain with a statue cast in pewter and tin cups attached
by chains to eight faucets to provide drinking water. The fountain
was a gift from the Salvation Army purchased with the aid of
donations from Fresnans. It originally stood at the Van Ness and
Mariposa entrance to the park in front of the original Fresno County
Courthouse. After twenty years of storage due to damage, the statue
re-emerged and was recast in bronze in 1947. Over the years, the boy
“lost” his boot and eventually the statue was moved to its current
location in the courtyard of the Fresno County Plaza building.
Today, it remains a beloved reminder of a bygone era in Fresno’s history.