Hebe at the Fountain - Van Buren, AR
Posted by: 
linkys
N 35° 26.054 W 094° 21.323
15S E 376972 N 3922044
Sculpture of Hebe, the Greek goddess of youth, as the center piece of a fountain on the Crawford County Courthouse lawn.
Waymark Code: WMF2P2
Location: Arkansas, United States
Date Posted: 08/12/2012
Views: 5
Hebe, the Greek goddess of youth is the center piece of the historic Smithsonian Arts Index listed fountain on the courthouse lawn in Van Buren, The goddess holds a ewer in her hand, though it is hard to see through the spray of water from the fountain.
Hebe is described by Wikipedia as: In Greek mythology, Hebe is the goddess of youth. (Roman equivalent: Juventas). She is the daughter of Zeus and Hera. Hebe was the cupbearer for the gods and goddesses of Mount Olympus, serving their nectar and ambrosia, until she was married to Heracles, (Roman equivalent: Hercules); her successor was the young Trojan prince Ganymede. Another title of hers, for this reason, is "Ganymeda." She also drew baths for Ares and helped Hera enter her chariot. Source
The bronze statue of Hebe is mounted on a concrete base in the middle of a fountain. This is a restoration of the original fountain in this location, the statue having been recast when the fountain was restored to its original appearance in 2003.
A marker placed next to the fountain reads:
HISTORY
OF
HEBE STATUE
Hebe, Greek Goddess of Youth and Happiness was
placed in her fountain on the Crawford County
Courthouse Lawn in 1908 by the Women's Village
Improvement Society.
Repairs were made to both Hebe and Fountain in
memory of Robert Benham who served as County
Assessor from 1961 - 1972.
The original Hebe was constructed of pot metal,
then painted gold. Numerous repairs to Hebe and
the Fountain were made over the first century. She
reigned on the courthouse lawn.
Hebe was beyond repair and the Fountain
crumbling and inoperable.
Women's league of Van Buren, an affiliate of the
General Federation of Women's Clubs, spearheaded
a campaign to raise funds to restore Hebe and the
Fountain.
Bronze casting of Hebe is compliments of Women's
League. Donations from our great community
raised funds to rebuild the Fountain and establish
new landscaping.
The original pot metal Hebe will eventually
reside in the Crawford County Museum. The steel
cap surrounding the top of Fountain was repaired and
is in use today.
Dedication of Restoration Project was held October 12, 2003.