Benson Bubblers

This is a quirky name for a Portland Gem - drinking water fountains all over the city which come from the Bull Run - best water I have ever had!. The goal of this page is to document, with pictures if possible, every single Benson Bubbler Water Fountain. The tradition was founded on April 10, 1912 with City Ordinance #25070912.

The 128 drinking fountains

Single Bowl Bubblers

76 single-bowl variations

• SE 65th and SE Foster

  

  SE 65th & Foster Road

• NW 18th & NW Couch

  

  Single bowl Benson Bubbler on corner of NW Couch St & NW 18th Ave. Near entrance of Saint Mary's Cathedral.

52 Four Bowl Bubblers

First Instance is a four bowl fountain at Simon Benson House

Apparently this is the first Benson Bubbler at SW 5th and Washington: [1]

• in front of Civic Auditorium on SW Third
• SW Front and Ankeny
• Morrison and SW 4th - photo by L.E. Baskow [2]
• SW Broadway and Washington
• in front of Benson Polytechnic High School, which is also named in honor of Simon Benson.
• The corner of Burnside and SW 3rd - (image)
• The corner of NW Glisan and NW 21st - (image)

Operation Times

5 am to 10 pm daily

History Mythology

Simon Benson:

he wanted to offer loggers something cold on the streets to quench their thirst, instead of alcohol

he saw a little girl crying at a parade because she was thirsty.

Francis J. Murnane:

he saved them from being dismantled

Bubbler name:

Drinking fountain, water fountain or bubbler? [3]

External Link

• History via Portland Online
• Flickr pictures: [4] [5]
• Biography: Simon Benson
• conservation of water
• PDF brochure
• Unique fact sheet