The Mackenzie Fountain

The Mackenzie Fountain, resembling a giant chess piece is situated near the railway station in Kingussie and was gifted to the town by the exotic sounding Count de Serra Largo. The Count was born plain Peter Mackenzie in Kingussie in 1856.He worked for a time as a pupil teacher in Kingussie before joining the Singer Company and by the 1880s was travelling extensively in Brazil on the company's behalf. There he married a Portuguese woman and had 9 children. In 1896 the King of Portugal made him Count de Serra Largo in recognition of his work for Portugese people in Brazil. He became a major benefactor to Kingussie and was chieftain of the shinty club for 34 years. The Fountain which was a watering place for horses and cattle was unveiled in 1911 and once threw water up to a great height.