Buckingham Fountain

Grant Park's Buckingham Fountain is one of the largest fountains in the world. It was designed to represent Lake Michigan, with each sea horse symbolizing the four states that border the lake – Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, and Michigan. Opened in 1927, Buckingham Fountain holds 1.5 million gallons of water and is the site of regular water shows between April and October.

The city has installed porous pavement and planted trees near the fountain, which help prevent stormwater from flowing into the lake and carrying pollutants with it. Long-term plans also include renovations that could cut water use in half and save the city thousands of gallons a week.