The Kona Fountain

The Kona Fountain was presented to the Town of Center Harbor in 1907.  It was the gift of Herbert Dumaresq, a Boston merchant who called his Center Harbor retreat the Kona Estate.  The fountain’s sculptor was Richard  Gerry Cook (1869-1955). Cook was reckoned “one of America’s foremost artists in the salt-glazed stoneware  medium of decorative pottery (Boson Globe, 4/20/1955).”

The image of Kona  is central to the legend of naming Lake Winnipesaukee.  Kona (the Eagle), a young cheiftan crossed the lake to court Ellacoya, the daugher Ahanton,  a bitter enemy, as retold by Ursula Hegi in The Legend of Emma Blau:

“Ahanton  said no to anyone who wanted to marry his daughter. He [tried to] attack Kona, [but] the princess  steppped between them.  Kona showed no fear so the chief consented to his daughter’s marriage.  After the wedding Kona returned across the lake with his bride, and a storm nearly overturned the canoes. But all at once sun split the clouds, showing the way to safety. Ahanton called this the Smile of the Great Spirit — Winnipesaukee.”