The fountain was designed by Karl Gerhardt of Hartford. He was a favorite of Mark Twain who owned many of his pieces and financed his studies in Paris. The 2,500 pound statue is in memory of Caroline Josephine Welton's black stallion, Knight, and her love of animals.
Born in 1842, Carrie died in 1884 while mountain climbing in Colorado. Her will left $7,000 for the monument and $100,000 to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA); a cause to which she had already given $250,000 in 1874. Relatives thought she was insane and contested the will, resulting in a long trial that was covered by the New York Times.
On November 10, 1888, Carrie's side prevailed and the fountain was dedicated.