A Toast to the Boys from the 2nd in Portland: Facing the Courthouse - The

Nestled in the Lownsdale Square, a part of the lively Plaza Blocks of Oregon, she proudly stands - the Fountain for Company H, more fondly known as the Second Oregon Company Volunteers Memorial. This tribute, erected in honor of the heroes from Company H of the 2nd Oregon Volunteer Infantry Regiment who paid the ultimate price in the Spanish-American War, gazes towards the Multnomah County Courthouse on Southwest 4th Avenue, flanked by Main and Salmon Streets. This bronze and limestone spectacle boasts a clamshell-shaped canopy covering a drinking fountain, stretching approximately 89 x 63 x 31 inches.

The memorial bears the engraving 'Second Oregon Company Volunteers' on its surface, a poignant reminder of its existence. The design was selected by a group of women relatives of the deceased soldiers following a design competition. The prizewinning designer, simply known as 'Beaver', pocketed a $50 reward and transformed their sorrow into a stunning memento.

The memorial was erected by August 30<year>, and unveiled on September 2, 19<year>.

It is also worth mentioning that this memorial has had a bit of TLC over the years, but we'll save the juicy details for another day. The Smithsonian Institution’s 'Save Outdoor Sculpture! program surveyed the memorial in 1993. During the Occupy Portland (2011), the fountain was covered up, bearing a sign reading 'Please respect this fragile monument' in plain sight.

The nearby monuments Thompson Elk Fountain (1900), Spanish–American War Soldier’s Monument (1906), and The Promised Land (1993) were also assessed during the same period, with all public artworks on the site sustaining no major damage. Today, the Fountain for Company H continues to stand tall as a nod to the courage and sacrifice of those who served, preserving their tales and honoring their memories for future generations to come.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons