Mills, Clark, Studio

National Register Listing

Street Address:

51 Broad St., Charleston, SC (Charleston County)

Alternate Name:

Clark Mills Studio; Stoney and Stoney Law Office

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NRHP Nomination

Record Number:

S10817710008

Description and Narrative:

Clark Mills (1815-1883) was a self-taught sculptor who succeeded in creating the first equestrian statue cast in the United States (1852). It was that of Major Andrew Jackson, hero of the Battle of New Orleans (1814), which stands today in LaFayette Square, Washington, D.C. More important than the aesthetic value of his work however, which is minor, Mills’ contribution as an engineer is unsurpassed. He pioneered new techniques in the casting of bronze, built his own foundry, and with a great determination succeeded in an area where he had little experience. His mastery of the dynamics of the apparently unbalanced Jackson Statue is a real tribute to the ingenuity of this man who solved a problem which had confounded many great artists and engineers before him. The Clark Mills Studio is a four-story building, where Mills resided from 1837 to 1848. The building was a tenement occupied by Mrs. C.P. Huard and Mr. Erastus Bulkley. When Mrs. Huard moved elsewhere, Mills rented the space and lived there, and it is believed that he executed his marble bust of John C. Calhoun in this building. Listed in the National Register October 15, 1966; Designated a National Historic Landmark December 21, 1965.

Period of Significance:

1850;1850 – 1853;19th century

Level of Significance:

National

Area of Significance:

Art

National Register Determination:

National Historic Landmark

Date of Certification:

October 15 1966

Date of Certification as a National Historic Landmark:

December 21 1965

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