A New Landmark of Friendship: The Caja de Agua at Tulsa Botanic Garden
On October 19, Tulsa Global Alliance and Tulsa Botanic Garden welcomed a new symbol of international friendship: the Caja de Agua Fountain, a gift from Tulsa’s Sister City San Luis Potosí, Mexico. The project celebrates 45 years of partnership, cultural exchange, and community collaboration between Tulsa and San Luis Potosí.
A Gift Across Borders
The fountain is a carefully crafted replica of the historic Caja de Agua in San Luis Potosí, originally built between 1827 and 1835 to store water from a six-kilometer aqueduct. Standing more than eight feet tall and twelve feet wide, the Tulsa version was constructed from the same pink quarry stone that defines much of San Luis Potosí’s architecture.
It now anchors a newly landscaped area at the Botanic Garden, surrounded by native Mexican plants, bilingual signage, and walking paths that invite reflection and connection.
A Celebration of Friendship
The ribbon-cutting ceremony began at 4 p.m., following a free public opening that welcomed visitors to the Garden. The event brought together city officials, Sister City partners, artists, and community members to celebrate the shared spirit behind this international gift.
“Now this fountain will be a place that’s a wonderful remembrance, a wonderful kind of symbol of what it means to have a connection and to exchange ideas and culture and friendship across borders. ”
Representatives from San Luis Potosí, including Arturo Álvarez Muñiz, Director of Sister Cities and International Affairs, joined local leaders and community members in celebrating the collaboration that made the project possible.
Be Part of Tulsa’s Global Story
The Caja de Agua is more than a work of art. It represents the power of connection and the impact of citizen diplomacy right here at home. Your support helps Tulsa Global Alliance create more moments like this, building friendships, shaping understanding, and keeping Tulsa a globally engaged city.
