By Lisa Hill

The Emory Village Plaza has very special meaning to me. Until 10 years ago, there was a 5-way traffic light at the intersection of N. Decatur Rd., Oxford Rd., and the entry into Emory University. A roundabout replaced the traffic lights and created an open area for a common space. The Emory Village Plaza, which includes a beautiful fountain, was designed by my husband, Todd Hill, who is a talented, award-winning landscape architect and currently serves as Board chair for the Emory Village Alliance. We enjoy walking to the plaza and connecting with friends. This image was taken in the first month of the stay-at-home restrictions in March 2020. The spirea and cherry blossoms were at their peak and it was a joy during a very challenging time to have such beauty in our world.

The sculpture within the fountain was created using trolley rails unearthed from the plaza site during construction. Todd worked with Charles Calhoun, Calhoun Design & Metalworks, on a creative way to display the rails that would pay tribute to the history of Emory Village. Charles created a unique, vertically-oriented three rail sculpture. The curved rail is in its original form. It is believed that the plaza site was a turnaround point for the end of the trolley line in the early 1900s.

The Mary Kelly Fountain was donated and constructed by the late Ted Kelly, Architectural Fountains and Pools, Inc. It is named in honor of Ted’s wife, Mary Torre Kelly, and his mother, Mary Whitaker Kelly.

A donation from the sale of every print of Sculpture in Springtime: Emory Village Fountain will be donated to the Alliance whose mission is to continue revitalizing the historic, commercial heart of Druid Hills in Emory Village.