Henry Gassaway Davis - Charleston, WV - Smithsonian Art Inventory Sculptures on Waymarking.com

This large statue of Henry Gassaway Davis riding his horse is located in the eponymous Davis Park at 301 Capitol St, Charleston, WV 25301. The park is located near the site of the original state Capitol of West Virginia. The statue is over 13 feet tall and made of bronze on a gray granite base. It was sculpted by Louis Saint-Lanne in 1926 and is part of an identical pair with the other located at Davis and Elkins College.

Inscription:
HENRY GASSAWAY DAVIS
BORN BALTIMORE, MD.
NOVEMBER 16, 1823
DIED WASHINGTON, D.C.
MARCH 11, 1916

BENEFACTOR - PHILANTHROPIST
RAILWAY BUILDER
WORKED AS IF HE WERE
TO LIVE FOREVER
LIVED AS IF HE WERE
TO DIE TOMORROW
From the Smithsonian Entry: "An equestrian statue of Henry Gassaway Davis. Davis's head is turned to the proper left and he gazes passively towards the ground. His proper left arm is bent at the elbow, and his hand, holding the reins, rests on the horse's neck. His proper right arm is straight by his side, and he holds a wide brim hat in his proper right hand. He wears a long overcoat, open at the front, which shows a vest or coat underneath. The horse stands with head erect and turned slightly to the proper right. His legs are spaced to suggest that he is waiting for a command from the rider."

More on Henry G. Davis:
"Henry Gassaway Davis (November 16, 1823 – March 11, 1916) was a millionaire and Senator from West Virginia. He was the Democratic Party's nominee for Vice President of the United States in 1904.

Born on a farm in Howard County, Maryland, he became a railroad executive before branching out into coal mining and banking as founder of the Potomac and Piedmont Coal and Railway Company. Davis won election to both houses of the West Virginia Legislature before serving as U.S. Senator from 1871 to 1883. His younger brother, Thomas Beall Davis, also served in Congress. After his tenure in the Senate ended, Davis continued to grow his business interests. In partnership with his son-in-law, Stephen Benton Elkins, Davis created the Davis Coal and Coke Company and led it to become one of the largest coal companies in the world.

The 1904 Democratic National Convention nominated a ticket of Alton B. Parker for president and Davis for vice president. Davis was chosen primarily for his ability to provide funding to the campaign. At nearly 81 years old, he remains the oldest person ever on a major party's national ticket. The Republican ticket of Theodore Roosevelt and Charles W. Fairbanks prevailed by a wide margin. After the election, Davis helped establish Davis & Elkins College, and he died in 1916.

TITLE: Henry Gassaway Davis ARTIST(S): Louis Saint-Lanne DATE: 1926 MEDIUM: Bronze on gray granite base CONTROL NUMBER: WV000019 Direct Link to the Individual Listing in the Smithsonian Art Inventory: [Web Link] PHYSICAL LOCATION: Davis Park 301 Capitol St Charleston, WV 25301 DIFFERENCES NOTED BETWEEN THE INVENTORY LISTING AND YOUR OBSERVATIONS AND RESEARCH: I did not notice any differences. It is in excellent shape for being almost 100 years old.

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