Who was William Andrews Clark?

Answer 1

William Clark was born in Connellsville Pennsylvania, but was best known in Montana history as one of the Copper Kings. Clark owned the majority of the copper mines here in town, but there was a constant battle between Clark, Marcus Daly and Augustus Heinze to have the best workers, mine the most copper and own the most mines. In the end it was Clark that owned the most but Daly was known in his own right, for opening the largest copper smelter in the world when he opened it in 1895 in Anaconda Montana. Clark and Daly not only tried to disrupt one another's mining businesses but they also went head to head when the discussion of moving the state capitol from Bannack came up. In the end it was Clark who's suggestion of Helena that won out.All over town you can still see his architectural influences to this day. I was in and out of Pittsburgh 98-02, the housing style, tall lean buildings, some with 2 houses built into one - that is reflected here as well. Not to mention that they houses were built 2 - 3 feet apart in some parts of town. So that more miners had living arrangements in as little space possible.Here are links that reflect a more specific history of Clark as well as some of the buildings still in use. The Copper King mansion is part of the first link. The Paul Clark home is a building that Clark commissioned for the orphans with the stipulation that the building keep the name as long as it exhists. Paul passes away as a teenager, but not before he made in impact of his own - whatever spare change he did not use that his folks had given him as allowance he spent on a program for additional nurses to be hired so other children who were sick could take time out of doors. And the Art Chateau was built for the older son who described a castle in Europe that he was staying at on his honeymoon. Clark had hardwood and workers shipped from Europe to build the house for his son to live in. So.. simply put Clarks influence is still alive and well today.

http://www.thecopperkingmansion.com/waclark.htm http://www.paulclarkhome.org/ http://www.copperkinghotel.com/ourcommunity/