Thompson Elk Fountain restoration project

Water

Active

We are repairing the historic Thompson Elk Fountain and returning the statue to its original location on SW Main Street.

Summer to winter 2025

Project overview

We are repairing the historic Thompson Elk Fountain and returning the iconic statue to its original location on SW Main Street.

Jeff Hawthorne and Keith Lachowicz talk about the Thompson Elk and its importance to the city's history.

In summer 2020, fires in the fountain base damaged pieces of the stonework. The bronze elk statue was not damaged. When we examined the fountain, we discovered the statue was not properly secured to the stone base and was at risk of falling. We removed it soon after along with parts of the fountain base.

The bronze elk statue did not need any restoration work. It was cleaned and safely stored by the Regional Arts & Culture Council while the City worked on a plan to restore the stone base. For more information on the restoration of the stonework, see the historic granite restoration section below.

Sign up for the project email newsletter

Happening now

Last updated September 26, 2025

This summer, crews removed the remaining fountain base pieces and began excavating the site to make room for the new fountain vault and plumbing. The vault will hold the fountain’s electrical and recirculating water pump underground. To prepare, crews must drill a tunnel to reach electrical lines at Chapman Square.

Crews will be forming and pouring a new concrete foundation where the refurbished fountain will be installed. Expect noise from saws, excavators, dump trucks, concrete pump trucks, and generators. Use caution and follow all instructions when passing through the area.

Happening next

Once concrete is poured, it must harden and cure. During this step, activity near the project area may appear to slow down.

After the concrete cures and plumbing is installed, crews will bring the pieces of the granite fountain base to the project area and set them in place. These pieces include fountain steps, boulders, troughs, and thesurrounding stone base.

Road closure

This project requires a road closure on SW Main Street from SW 3rd Avenue to SW 4th Avenue, between Lownsdale and Chapman Squares. The closure will last through winter 2025. 

Detour routes will change as work progresses. Traffic signs will direct travelers around the closure areas. Use caution and follow all instructions when passing through the area. Stay alert and be prepared for traffic to suddenly slow or stop.  

What to expect during a Water Bureau construction project

Historic granite restoration

Some parts of the fountain's stone base needed to be remade. To meet national standards for historic preservation, the Portland Water Bureau sourced new granite pieces from the same quarry that supplied the original fountain base in Barre, Vermont.

A piece of the restored granite fountain base that says: Presented to the City of Portland by David P. Thopmson A.D. 1900 — A piece of the granite fountain base currently being stored in Tigard, Oregon.

The quarry in Vermont used the original fountain base as a template to cut new slabs of granite that replaced the damaged pieces. Then they shipped the granite slabs to a stone fabricating company in Cleveland, Ohio. The stone company in Cleveland sculpted the granite to match the original base, then shipped all the pieces back to Oregon.

A few things need to happen before the granite fountain base can be installed. Crews will:

pour a concrete foundation at the construction site and wait for it to cure.
finish installing electrical, plumbing, and the fountain vault.
dry fit the granite base and statue to make sure everything fits before bringing it to the construction site.

The granite is currently with our subcontractor in Tigard, Oregon while we wait for installation.

Project objectives

The Water Bureau is a careful steward of natural resources and public water infrastructure, including fountains. It is in this tradition that we are working to restore the Thompson Elk Fountain to its historic place on SW Main Street, between Chapman and Lownsdale squares. The project will:

Portland City Council approves a contractor to oversee construction on the Thompson Elk Fountain restoration.

Restore, rehabilitate, and reinstall the fountain in its original location
Comply with the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Treatment of Historic Properties
Increase the seismic stability of the Thompson Elk statue
Retrofit the fountain with a recirculating water pump

The Thompson Elk Fountain has long been a community gathering place and a hub of activism for Portlanders. People have gathered at the fountain for generations not only to appreciate the artistry of the City’s second-oldest piece of public art but also to exercise free speech and engage in protest. In restoring the fountain, we acknowledge this history and work to promote healing and inclusion.

Frequently asked questions

Who is restoring the elk statue and fountain?

The Water Bureau will lead construction contracting and oversight. The decorative stone fountain is managed and maintained by two City of Portland bureaus (the Water Bureau and Parks & Recreation), and the bronze elk artwork that adorns the fountain is managed by the Regional Arts & Culture Council.

Cedar Mill Construction Company will oversee construction and restoration of the Thompson Elk Fountain, with key subcontractors Pioneer Waterproofing, the Anderson Group, and A-Absolute Comfort Heating and Cooling.

What is the budget for this project?

As of July 2023, $2.2 million had been secured to fund the Thompson Elk Fountain Restoration Project: $700,000 from insurance and $1.5 million from the City’s General Fund, as approved by City Council in the fiscal year 2023–24 budget.

Thanks to a partnership with the Portland Parks Foundation and the Regional Arts & Culture Council, the design phase of the project was funded through private donations. This investment accelerated the restoration process by as much as a year.

In September 2024, City Council unanimously voted to accept the proposed bid by Cedar Mill Construction of $1.79 million. With available funding of $2.2 million, the project is within budget. Of the $2.2 million, $1.79 million will be allocated to construction and $400,000 will be allocated to contract management. Any unused funds will be returned to the General Fund.

View the full procurement report for the Thompson Elk Fountain Restoration Project.

Watch the City Council Meeting on September 18–19, 2024.

When will the project be completed?

Construction is scheduled to be completed in winter 2025. Timelines are contingent on scheduling and the ability to acquire specialized material for this project. Construction updates will be posted to this page.

What will this project do?

Restore, rehabilitate, and reinstall the fountain in its original location
Comply with the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Treatment of Historic Properties
Source any stonework to be refabricated from the original quarry in Barre, Vermont
Retrofit the fountain with a recirculating water pump
Paint and update lighting for the fountain from two adjacent poles

When was the Thompson Elk Fountain built?

This is an archival photo from 1900 of the Thompson Elk Statue. — An archival photo of a horse drinking from the Thompson Elk Fountain.

The Thompson Elk Fountain was built in 1900 and named for its benefactor, David P. Thompson, who served as Portland’s mayor from 1879 to 1882. A founding director of the Oregon Humane Society, Thompson wanted to pay homage to the wildlife that once roamed the city. The bronze elk—which stands 9 feet tall and weighs 3,000 pounds—was sculpted by Roland Hinton Perry. The granite base and water-spouting fountain were designed and built by H. G. Wright.

Learn more about the history of the Thompson Elk Fountain.

Why was the statue taken down?

When we examined the fountain in July 2020, we discovered the bronze elk statue was secured to the base by only one bolt. While the statue was not damaged, it was at risk of falling. We removed the statue and fountain base soon after. We will reinforce and stabilize the statue when it is reinstalled in 2025.

What is the history of civic engagement around the statue?

This is an archival photo from 1900 of protests surrounding the Thompson Elk Statue. — An archival photo of protestors surrounding the Thompson Elk statue.

The elk statue has been a site of political expression since the city’s early marches for women’s suffrage, most recently serving as a backdrop for protests against racial inequities in 2020.

The Water Bureau is proud to partner with the community to restore this beloved landmark.

How will the new fountain conserve water?

In addition to restoring the fountain and returning the elk statue, this project will install a recirculating water pump to improve the fountain’s water efficiency.

Recirculating the water in the fountain will save up to 18,720 gallons of water per day, which adds up to more than 6.8 million gallons per year. The amount of water saved will be enough to supply about 146 homes each year.