GALION, OH (CRAWFORD COUNTY NOW)—The Galion History Center (GHC) is excited to announce the restoration of the historic Women’s Christian Temperance Union (WCTU) Drinking Fountain, a symbol of Galion’s rich past and commitment to community wellness.

Originally placed on the Galion Public Square in 1911, the stone fountain, adorned with a bronze plaque of Frances Willard, founder of the World Women’s Christian Temperance Union, was a gift from the WCTU Galion chapter. It served as a reminder to the community to choose water over alcohol.

In the 1940s, the fountain was relocated to Heise Park, where it remained until the 1990s when it was removed for safekeeping during park renovations. In 2022, the City of Galion donated the fountain to the GHC, which then secured grants from the Ralph Boyd Foundation and the Galion Community Foundation for its restoration.

On May 9, 2024, Longstreth Memorials re-erected the restored fountain on the Historic Union Schoolyard. While no longer functional as a drinking fountain, it stands as a monument to Galion’s history and the mission of the Galion WCTU organization.

The GHC has big plans for the WCTU Temperance Fountain. It will serve as the starting point for their new Uptowne walking tour, “Breweries, Bootleggers, and Buggy Whips: Galion During Prohibition,” set to launch in Summer 2024. Stay tuned for more information on this exciting new tour that explores Galion’s Prohibition-era history.