Annie Stewart (January 17, 1867 – April 8, 1905) suffered from depression, taking her own life. Her mother died a few months later, leaving $2,000 to the Madison Park and Pleasure Drive Association to erect a fountain in Annie’s memory. The project, designed by Frederick J. Clasgens, was finally completed in 1925.

The construction of the fountain at this place is desirable because of the sightly location. By locating the fountain at the top of the hill in Henry Vilas Park there will be no increased expense for water because of the demand for water in the zoo. All the water used in the fountain will be conducted to the dens and pools in the zoo, where an amount equal to what the fountain will use, will have to be provided.

The fountain was resurfaced with concrete in 1994, by order of the Parks Department, and six large shells were replicated in concrete and reinstalled on the fountain base. But those top-coatings have since cracked.

Fountain at Vilas Park, circa 1926. The lower two statues are of children and the center fountain is of a mother and child. (Wisconsin Historical Society)