Cool off at Fordham Fountain
An oasis in Bynum Circle, with the 1995 fountain at its heart, provides seating, shade and a cooling spray.
Press play above to watch a video of sounds around Fordham Fountain
On a campus chock-full of scenery and landmarks, Carolina’s Fordham Fountain offers a refreshing place to escape.
It’s a scenic spot of stonework with sparkling water and a leafy canopy during summer and, during autumn, leaf color galore. During hot weather, the fountain’s cool spray and shade from six nearby maple trees make it an oasis for getting some fresh air.
Fordham Fountain is named for Christopher Fordham III, former chancellor and dean of the UNC School of Medicine, and his wife, Barbara Fordham, a Carolina alumna. (UNC-Chapel Hill)
The fountain was built at Bynum Circle’s center in 1995 as a gift from Carolina’s Class of 1988. It’s named for former chancellor and dean of the UNC School of Medicine, the late Christopher Fordham III ’47, and his wife, the late Barbara Fordham ’49.
Terry Brewer, UNC Facilities maintenance supervisor, and a four-member team maintain the fountain.
Two pumps power between 3,200 and 3,300 gallons of water through a ring of 152 nozzles. Water arcs into a Carolina Blue basin and drains to be cycled through the system. Staff adjust the spray so that it reaches a height of 6 to 8 feet, although it can shoot as high as 12 feet.
Brewer and crew members treat it with chlorine and keep the pH level between 7.0 and 7.6.
Scenes of students around Fordham Fountain at UNC-Chapel Hill.
The crew runs the fountain April through October, usually waiting to turn it off until most leaves have dropped. The maple trees also drop helicopter seeds called samaras that have bulb-shaped seed cavities. “Those seeds are the perfect size to fit in those nozzles,” Brewer said. He uses a piece of wire to pop the seeds out.
To service the fountain, the UNC plumbers reduce the flow so they aren’t soaked, put on waders and step in.
Four brick walkways lead to the fountain, which is enclosed by a circular stone wall. The fountain and three tiered, curved walls on two sides provide seating. On all the stonework, masons used local granite called Chatham fieldstone and a synthetic stone veneer. Historic Playmakers Theatre (originally Benjamin Smith Hall), Bynum Hall and the Henry Owl Building surround the circle and add to a setting as picturesque as any of Carolina’s quads.
The fountain attracts not only people who want to sit and read or eat a bite but also those who let their dogs take a dip and students seeking an Instagram-worthy setting. A prankster who added dark purple dye to the water in the spring caused the fountain’s interior to be repainted at the cost of $600 per gallon, Brewer said.
Honeybees also like the spot and have nested in the rock walls, so Grounds workers put up a “Pollinator Work Zone” sign to warn people.
The fountain is an Instagram-worthy setting, but also a place to sit and relax. (UNC-Chapel Hill)
