To make it easier for workhorses, dogs and cats to get access to water in urban places, money funneled through the National Humane Alliance was used to construct about 125 watering troughs and fountains in American communities during the early 1900s.. Installed in 1912, this five-ton beauty in Abbeville’s Court Square was constructed of bronze-trimmed Maine granite. It’s a rare artifact, being one of the few surviving Humane Society Alliance fountains still in its original location.

The fountain has an interesting design. Water flowed from the mouths of lions into an upper bowl that served as a watering trough for horses. The lower bowls (now filled with concrete) were for dogs and cats. Today the fountain is ensconced in a brick-rimmed pool that surrounds its base. A nearby historical marker provides relevant information.