Greenwood is delighted to announce the re-opening of its majestic Cascade fountain this season! After a 16-month restoration, and for the first time since the early part of the 20th century, water is once again flowing down the seven tiers of this meticulously restored architectural structure.
To view a video of the Cascade through the ages, click here.
The expansive Cascade was designed by William Whetten Renwick (1864 – 1933), for the property’s original owner, Joseph P. Day, in the 1920s. William was the nephew of famed Gothic Revival architect James Renwick, Jr., designer of such notable New York City landmarks as St. Patrick’s Cathedral, the Smithsonian Institution, and Grace Church.
William’s inspiration for the Cascade was a fountain created in the 1620s by renowned Baroque architect, Carlo Maderno, for a villa in Frascati, Italy. Maderno is remembered as one of the fathers of Baroque architecture. Maderno’s façades on Santa Susanna, St. Peter’s Basilica, and Sant’Andrea della Valle were part of the evolution of the Italian Baroque style.
The restoration of this iconic symbol of Greenwood’s rich history was an endeavor which will transform the visitor experience. The original extensive views from atop the upper exedra off the East Terrace overlooking the South Mountain Reservation, repair of the feature’s seven basins and curving staircases, installation of new harmonious plantings, and the restoration of the lower exedra with its gracious, curved seating at the base of the Cascade, will now allow visitors to bask in the soothing experience created by the sight and sound of flowing water.
The design team led by Allan Summers, Principal of Robinson Anderson Summers Landscape Architects, and Hobbs Incorporated, general contractor, conducted two years of rigorous testing and determined that much of the fountain’s existing structure could be preserved. Funding for the $2.7 million project was provided by the private support of generous donors.
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