The cast-iron fountain, commissioned by actress Lotta Crabtree as a gift to the city, was dedicated September 9, 1875.

A plaque commemorates its role as a meeting point in the aftermath of the 1906 San Francisco earthquake and fire.

Another plaque mentions the opera soprano Luisa Tetrazzini, who gave a memorable performance for the people of San Francisco at the fountain on Christmas Eve, 1910, after legal difficulties prevented her from appearing on stage.

[citation needed] In 1999 the fountain was refurbished, shortened back to its 1875 appearance, and repainted a metallic gold-brown.

This article about a property in San Francisco, California on the National Register of Historic Places is a stub.