Clemson in Pickens County, South Carolina — The American South (South Atlantic)

Clemson Cannons

Photographed by Duane Marsteller, November 6, 2021

1. Clemson Cannons Marker

Inscription. These cannons, affectionately nicknamed “Tom” and “Jerry” by the Class of 1952, were originally mounted to point toward Clemson's rival; the University of South Carolina. The bronze cannons — one built in 1842 by N.P. Ames Foundry (Springfield, MA) and the other in 1861 by C. Alger & Co. (Boston, MA) — were issued in 1881 by the U.S. Army to Captain T. Pinckney Lowndes of the Marion Artillery in Charleston, and were turned over to the South Carolina Military Academy when the Marion Artillery disbanded. Although records are incomplete, the cannons were sent to Clemson College by the South Carolina Office of the Governor in the mid-1930s for Sculptor A. Wolfe Davidson to use as scrap metal for his statue of Thomas Green Clemson in front of the Main Administrative Building, later named Tillman Hall. Davidson, however, cast the statue in stone due to the lack of funds, and the bronze cannons were stored in the old machine shop of Freeman Hall. In 1951, as the old machine shop was replaced by a new shop and cleaned out, the cannons resurfaced and were moved to Bowman Field in an effort to further beautify the campus. In 2014,

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the cannons were relocated in front of Godfrey Hall and were placed on carriages to make their depiction more historically accurate. Pershing Rifles C-4 Company is considered the “guardian of the cannons,” and each semester their prospective members (“Rats”) guard the cannons for an entire week.

Erected by Clemson University 2016-2017 Student Body • Tiger Platoon • Pershing Rifles C-4 Company.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Military. A significant historical year for this entry is 1842.

Location. 34° 40.849′ N, 82° 50.248′ W. Marker is in Clemson, South Carolina, in Pickens County. It can be reached from Gantt Circle. Marker is northwest of Clemson University's Military Heritage Plaza, located between Godfrey Hall and Bowman Field. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Clemson SC 29634, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in andspecifically pstate,

in the Foothills, in the Golden Corner. It is also in the American South,

specifically in the Deep South,

in Appalachia,

and specifically in Southern Appalachia. Globally, it is in North America,

Photographed by Duane and Tracy Marsteller, November 6, 2021

2. Clemson Cannons Marker

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the original Cherokee Nation,

the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

one of the original Thirteen Colonies,

one of the Confederate States of America,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Godfrey Hall (a few steps from this marker); Clemson Military Heritage (within shouting distance of this marker); Holtzendorff Hall (within shouting distance of this marker); Military Heritage Plaza (within shouting distance of this marker); And Then There Was War (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Integration with Dignity, 1963 (about 400 feet away); Mell Hall (about 400 feet away); Tillman Hall (about 400 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Clemson.

Credits. This page was last revised on November 8, 2021. It was originally submitted on November 6, 2021, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 2,418 times since then and 103 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on November 6, 2021, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. 2. submitted on November 8, 2021, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.