Inspired by the spectacle of fountain artistry he witnessed at Chicago's 1893 World Columbian
Exhibition, Pierre S. du Pont set out to create the ultimate fountain display at Longwood Gardens. The main fountain design combined Italianate ornamentation and French grandeur with modern showmanship. It was an engineering marvel that used the latest technology of the time - 18 pumps recirculating 10,000 gallons of water per minute. Longwood's talented craftsmen take great care in maintaining the original fountain pumps, which were first turned on in 1931. The pumps propel water as high as 130 feet into the air, which can be witnessed during a scheduled fountain show.
The Conservatory is one of the world's great greenhouses, sheltering 20 indoor gardens under 4.5 acres of glass. Inspired by the success of his first conservatory, located at the Peirce-du Pont House, Pierre du Pont completed this magnificent and beautiful structure in 1921. Mr. du Pont went to great lengths to impart architectural elegance to the Conservatory. He used the latest technology to heat and power the buildings and an extensive tunnel system to hide the pipes and conduits so as not to detract from the neoclassical architecture.
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