Girard Fountain Park

Historic Origins

Girard Fountain Park is a small pocket park located in the Old City neighborhood of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. This 0.15-acre (610 square meter) green space provides a welcome respite in the bustling urban environment.

The park was created in the mid-1960s after the demolition of several commercial buildings that previously occupied the site. It was further improved in 1976 using funds from a city-held grant established by banker Stephen Girard to enhance areas near the Delaware River.

Park Features

A central feature of the park is its fountain, though it is not always operational. The park is adjacent to a firehouse, and its maintenance is largely carried out by local volunteers, now incorporated as Old City Green.

These volunteers perform daily upkeep and have initiated various improvement projects over the years.

Notable Sculpture

In 2007, a notable addition was made to the park with the installation of a sculpture called "Keys To Community." This bronze bust of Benjamin Franklin, created by artist James Peniston, is covered with casts of 1,000 keys collected from local schoolchildren.

The sculpture replaced an earlier work that had deteriorated over time.