Blog Summary
- The Joshua S. Green, Sr., Fountain by George Tsutakawa has returned to Seattle’s waterfront, newly restored and reinstalled along Columbia Street near its original 1966 site.
- The fountain honors a legacy of civic generosity and artistic vision, blending cultural traditions, nature, and abstraction in bronze and water.
- Its return was made possible by public and private partners, including the Central Waterfront 1% for Art Fund and waterfront construction funds, reinforcing Waterfront Park’s role as a home for public art.
University of Washington Libraries, Special Collections, Mary Randlett, photographer, MPH3924
Art, like water, flows through the heart of Seattle. And this summer, a beloved symbol of the city’s artistic heritage returned to the waterfront, restored and reinstalled for a new generation to experience. Originally installed at Colman Dock at the Seattle ferry terminal in 1966, the Joshua S. Green, Sr., Fountain by George Tsutakawa has found its new home along Columbia Street in the evolving landscape of Waterfront Park.
This reinstallation is a long-awaited homecoming. For those who grew up visiting the waterfront, catching ferries, or marveling at Tsutakawa’s bronze forms across the city, the return of this fountain stirs personal memories and civic pride. Now, it continues its journey, brimming with new meaning at the edge of Salish Sea.
George Tsutakawa with one of his fountains, 1967. Photo by J. Sneddon (CC BY-SA 4.0)
George Tsutakawa (1910–1997) was a towering figure in the art world and a cultural bridge between East and West. A life-long Seattleite who spent parts of his early life in Japan, Tsutakawa brought a unique lens to his work—drawing from Japanese aesthetics, Pacific Northwest landscapes, and modernist abstraction. Originally a painter and sculptor, Tsutakawa found a different calling in 1958 when he was commissioned to design a fountain for Seattle’s Central Library. The Fountain of Wisdom, his first public fountain, would lead to more than 75 fountain commissions across the U.S., Canada, and Japan.
His work fused form, nature, and philosophy. Tsutakawa once reflected, “My fountain sculptures are an attempt to unify water—the life force of the universe that flows in an elusive cyclical course throughout eternity—with an immutable metal sculpture.” In his hands, bronze became a conduit for cultural expression, movement, and harmony.
The Joshua Green Fountain: A Legacy Reimagined
The Joshua S. Green, Sr., Fountain stood for decades as a symbol of welcome on Seattle’s bustling waterfront. Named after local philanthropist Joshua Green, its creation was made possible by the Green family’s enduring commitment to civic life. When construction began on the new ferry terminal, the fountain was carefully removed, restored, and now reimagined in a newly designed basin by Field Operations at Columbia Street, just steps from its original site.
Our city partners at the Office of Arts & Culture managed the restoration of the fountain alongside the Office of Waterfront, Civic Projects and Sound Transit.
“This fountain holds layers of memory of my father George Tsutakawa, who brought his vision to life in bronze, and of Joshua Green Sr., who commissioned it as a tribute to his beginnings on the Seattle waterfront. I still remember Joshua visiting our home to see the working model and gifting my dad a small ruler inscribed with the words:
‘When this you see, remember me.’ – Joshua Green
That sentiment still echoes today. As the water flows again, may we all remember their contributions—and the creative, cultural, and maritime legacy they helped shape along this shoreline.”- Gerard Tsutakawa
Celebrating the fountain’s return: Joshua Green III and artist Gerard Tsutakawa, son of George Tsutakawa, pose in front of the newly reinstalled fountain. Photo by Hannah Te.
Its return is thanks to a broad coalition of supporters—including the Joshua Green Foundation, the Committee of 33, the City of Seattle and many individual donors who supported the Campaign for Waterfront Park. The restoration and reinstallation were made possible through funding from the Central Waterfront 1% for Art Fund and waterfront construction funds. Together, they’ve helped preserve not only a piece of public art but a sense of place.
The restored Joshua Green Fountain by George Tsutakawa in motion at its new permanent home at Waterfront Park, celebrated by many members of the Green and Tsutakawa families, friends and city partners. Photo by Hannah Te.
Built for Belonging, Designed for Art
The Joshua S. Green, Sr., Fountain by George Tsutakawa joins a growing collection of public art throughout Waterfront Park—celebrating Seattle’s rich creative community and Indigenous cultural roots. As a park built with intention, equity, and beauty at its core, this space is designed to reflect the city it serves: dynamic, diverse, and deeply connected to the legacy of art.
By welcoming Tsutakawa’s work back to the shoreline, Waterfront Park becomes a living gallery—where bronze and water meet tide and memory. It’s a place where art isn’t just observed but felt. A place where history, healing, and imagination converge in the rhythm of cascading water.
Come stroll along the Park Promenade. Listen to the fountain. Remember the past. And celebrate a beloved artists who continues to shape our city’s future.
More resources about George Tsutakawa and his artwork:
- HistoryLink: Tsutakawa, George (1910-1997)