Acklie Fountain at Lincoln’s Old City Hall

One of Lincoln’s oldest buildings was constructed at what is still one of the most important corners in Lincoln. First this was the location of the post office. When the mail room moved to the new federal building outdoors, this 9th and O location became city hall. Today the building contains offices. If you read my upcoming book, A History Lover’s Guide to Lincoln, you can find out more details about the impressive building. But one thing you will not find out about in my book is the Acklie Fountain.

Because I did not really pay attention to downtown Lincoln (apart from several museums) until I started writing my blog, I assumed that the fountain has been around as long as the 1870’s building. To my surprise, I discovered the Acklie Fountain was dedicated in May 2006.

In case you are unfamiliar with the last name, Acklie, Duane and Phyllis have owned Crete Carrier since 1971. During that time, they relocated the trucking company to Lincoln. Through the years, they have given back to the community in many ways. To honor them, their daughters and their families gave this fountain as a gift to the city of Lincoln.

What is interesting to me is the fact that the designers created the fountain to reflect Lincoln’s history. The corn maidens that are found on all four corners are molds based off the original sculptures from the historic Cornhusker Hotel. Materials used have substance. This is a popular place for people to gather during warmer months. Unfortunately with everything going on right now, the fountain remains under wraps this season. Hopefully next year, the fountain will again be adding beautiful sights and sounds of water to Downtown.