As the world turns its attention to the Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, a 1956 gift from South America’s Brazil to Indiana’s Brazil is about to receive some attention, too. The country of Brazil gave the Chafariz Dos Contos Fountain to the City of Brazil as a diplomatic gesture of friendship.

The Clay Community Parks Association recently received a $2,000 grant from Indiana Landmarks’ Efroymson Family Endangered Places Grants Fund for a rehab study of the Chafariz Dos Contos Fountain.

The fountain, sculpted in granite by Tito Bernucci, replicates one of the same name created between 1745 and 1760 in Ouro Preto, Brazil. You’ll find the fountain at the entrance to Forest Park on State Road 59, an elegant welcome to the city.

The fountain’s water feature no longer functions and its masonry suffers deterioration that requires diagnosis and treatment. The study will assess the fountain’s structural and plumbing issues and make recommendations for rehabilitation to ensure the long-term preservation of the impressive landmark. The nonprofit Clay Community Parks Association intends to raise the money to fully restore the Chafariz Dos Contos Fountain.

To learn more about Indiana Landmarks’ Efroymson Family Endangered Places Grants Fund, contact our Western Regional Office, 812-232-4534 or west@indianalandmarks.org.