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Keeping the tradition flowing and the ice frozen

By Derek Kirk
Posted 2/4/22

Keeping up the chilly tradition started by his grandfather in the 1980s, Youngsville resident Jonathan McGibbon has once again utilized the below freezing temperatures to his advantage in order to …

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Keeping the tradition flowing and the ice frozen

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Keeping up the chilly tradition started by his grandfather in the 1980s, Youngsville resident Jonathan McGibbon has once again utilized the below freezing temperatures to his advantage in order to provide the town with the staple, seasonal “ice fountain,” located at 3997 State Route 52.

The “ice fountain” is created by siphoning water via a one inch plastic water line from a concrete reservoir located about a quarter mile on the mountainside behind the house. From there, the water sprays out onto the yard and continues all Winter long.

When his grandfather, Howard “Bud” Jacobs, passed away in 1995, the tradition remained dormant until McGibbon picked it back up in 2012, and has continued ever since.

“Since I started this tradition again, every year I've been trying something different,” McGibbon said.

When he first restarted the tradition back up from Jacobs, McGibbon created an eight foot tall tower of ice by using a piece of steel lodged into the earth and a garden hose taped to it.

Now, McGibbon diversifies the “ice fountain” each year by experimenting with lighting. With the assistance of friends and C & K Construction of Youngsville in the summer of 2021, McGibbon installed a steel pole that stands at a total of 22 feet tall to significantly increase the height of the fountain. McGibbon said he is expecting this years’ installation to reach around 28 feet tall.
In the previous year, McGibbon reported that the project had gone through 1,000,000 gallons of water, and in the past the frozen spectacle has been the backdrop for family wedding photos.

“As long as the water continues to flow into the reservoir, and the reservoir does not collapse in, I will continue the tradition of the Youngsville Ice,” McGibbon said.

Check out the Facebook page to check the continuing progress on the “ice fountain” or stop by and see it from the road.

All McGibbon requests is that spectators watch from the road, be mindful of traffic, and to please not park and walk around the ice, as the tower can cause slippery conditions.

“I could not do this without the help from my girlfriend Marissa, my parents Debra and Sherwood McGibbon, my sister and her husband, Amber and Benjamin Creegan,” said McGibbon, expressing his gratitude to those who assisted him in making the dream of a towering “ice fountain” a reality once more.

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