Henry Clay Monument
The monument, c. 1910 | |
| Location | South Centre Street near Washington Street, Pottsville, Pennsylvania, United States |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 40°40′53″N 76°11′33.5″W / 40.68139°N 76.192639°W |
| Designer | Frank Hewson (architect) H. Wesche (sculptor) Jacob Madara (stonemason) |
| Fabricator | George B. Fissler (column) Robert Wood & Company (statue) |
| Type | Doric column Statue |
| Material | Cast iron |
| Length | 15 feet (4.6 m) |
| Width | 6 feet (1.8 m) |
| Height | 67 feet (20 m) |
| Weight | 45.5 short tons (41.3 t) |
| Beginning date | July 26, 1852 |
| Completion date | June 27, 1855 |
| Dedicated date | July 4, 1855 Rededicated October 19, 1985 |
| Restored date | August 26, 1985 |
| Dedicated to | Henry Clay |
The Henry Clay Monument is a public monument in Pottsville, Pennsylvania, United States. Work on the monument, which consists of a state of Henry Clay atop a Doric column, began in 1852, shortly after his death, and ended in 1855.
As a politician in the early 19th century, Clay was an advocate for the American System of protective tariffs that helped Pottsville's anthracite industry, and upon his death in 1852, several prominent citizens in the city advocated for the erection of a monument in his honor. Work commenced with the laying of a cornerstone on July 26, 1852, and ended in June 1855, with the structure dedicated on July 4 (Independence Day) of that year. The column was designed by Frank Hewson and created by George Fissler, while the statue was designed by sculptor H. Wesche and cast at the Robert Wood & Company foundry in Philadelphia. Both these structures are made of cast iron and painted white.