Ever Wonder…Why we call a water fountain a bubbler?

I didn’t, actually, but apparently it’s not a universal term, and learning that fact did get me wondering.

Turns out “bubbler” is actually a trademarked name for a specific style of drinking fountain developed by Kohler Water Works in 1888. The Bubbler shot water one inch straight into the air, with excess water dropping back down over the nozzle. Eventually the design was altered to include the arch projection still in use today.

Much of the world refers to them as water or drinking fountains, but the bubbler name is common in Wisconsin, the Upper Peninsula, New England, and even Australia.