Bea Evenson Fountain

The Bea Evenson Fountain is a pretty place located right next to the Reuben H. Fleet Science Center. Unfortunately, the sign explicity declares it as not for recreation, so that will limit your fun here, but then again rules might just be made to be broken. It is a large, circular presence with a beautifully blue hue and seating on the edges. As with much of the rest of the park, try to apply some time here in order to stimulate every detail of it within your mind.
I went here having not remembered it. This certainly gave me a few minutes of entertainment. This was a good way to pass the time while I waited for the science center to open. A relative enjoyed throwing a penny into it, perhaps a measurement of one’s strength based on the length that the penny travels.
Take a look at the Bea Evenson Fountain.

Probably the second-​most photographed location in Balboa Park (the first being the Botanical Building), the Bea Evenson Fountain is one of the highlights of any Balboa Park visit. I too wasn’t aware that it had a name, but courtesy of Gail P., now I know!
The fountain is very beautiful and eye-​catching, and on any given day you’ll see tourists taking photos of it and of themselves with it. And of course, you’ll see plenty of kids splashing around, and their parents splashing around in an attempt to keep their kids out. No matter when you go to visit, always stop by to enjoy the serene view.

Everybody knows this fountain. You know the one you always try to keep your kids from jumping in, the one with the young couple taking their engagement photos in front of it, that one. But who knew it had a name? And/​or the history of it?! I sure didn’t until I checked in and voila! There it was… along with a well written educational review by Gail P. The fountain is beautiful and the surrounding scenery is as well. Day or night it doesn’t matter, take a stroll to see it and soak it’s beauty in. Sit a while and enjoy the performers that gather around here sometimes. It’s pretty dang beautiful.

Located on the north side of the Reuben H. Fleet Space Theater in Balboa Park is the Bea Evenson Fountain-​named after and dedicated to the memory of Mrs. Bea Evenson. This lady was a tireless and beloved civic volunteer who was instrumental in preserving and protecting the Spanish Colonial architecture of Balboa Park.
In May 1981, the Fountain debuted and quickly became the centerpiece of the north El Prado area. A lively display of waterworks inside a tiled, circular pool –the Evenson fountain was a splash of energy that attracted much fanfare and proved to be a very popular Balboa Park photo opportunity. Kids seemed to love and become transfixed by the ever-​moving bursts of water. It became in time-​a renowned Balboa Park gathering spot.
Bea Evenson was a very powerful mover-​and-​shaker who was one who knew how to get things done! It was she who had rallied the city behind the plan to turn the last little bit of Bay side property into a proper City Park. She appeared countless times before the Board of Port Commissioners and in meetings with Port Staff, and was the driving force behind galvanizing the city to support this new recreational greenbelt. The end result was Spanish Landing – a park that today beautifies nearly 5,000 ft. of the north shore of San Diego Bay.
In 1967 Bea was a founder and became the leader of a civic group named The Committee of 100, and sparked community interest and raised funds to help preserve the original Spanish colonial architecture of the 1915 Exposition buildings along the Prado in Balboa Park. Their first success was the restoration of the lavishly decorated Casa del Prado-​a $ 3.5 million rebuilding project dedicated in 1971. Other building restorations were to follow. Bea Evenson was much beloved and acclaimed for her good works here in the City of San Diego.
Today the Fountain that honors her has been shut off at times due to water conservation and drought. Many movies, television shows, and newscast segments have been filmed in front of the Fountain. Both my children adored visiting Balboa Park –most especially for the chance to run and splash along the Fountain’s edges. I’ve had to fish both of them out of the water many times because running around the perimeter of it is so slippery yet fun! Make it a point to always kept a dry change of kids clothes in the car for such emergency occasions as their frequent quick dips/​slips in Bea’s Fountain.