Gratz Park in Lexington in Fayette County, Kentucky — The American South (East South Central)
Henry Clay's Law Office
Photographed By Ken Smith, September 1, 2012
1. Henry Clay's Law Office Marker
Erected 1978 by Kentucky Historical Society, Kentucky Department of Highways. (Marker Number 139.)
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Notable Buildings. In addition, it is included in the Kentucky Historical Society series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1804.
Location. 38° 2.974′ N, 84° 29.805′ W. Marker is in Lexington, Kentucky, in Fayette County. It is in Gratz Park. Marker is on North Mill Street, 0.1 miles south of West 2nd Street, on the left when traveling south. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 176 N Mill St, Lexington KY 40507, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Taking Politician Henry Clay to Court 1829 (here, next to this marker); First Presbyterian Church (within shouting distance of this marker); Lexington Public Library 1905 - 1989 / A Carnegie Library (within shouting distance of this marker);
this page online
Photographed By Ken Smith, September 1, 2012
2. Henry Clay's Law Office Marker
Photographed By Allen C. Browne, August 9, 2015
3. Henry Clay
This 1842 portrait of Henry Clay by John Neagle hangs in the National Portrait Gallery in Washington DC.
“His admirers called him ‘Gallant Harry,‘ and his impetuous charm made him quite possibly the most beloved politician of his generation. But the real legacy of Kentucky's Henry Clay was his unstinting devotion, in the House of Representatives and later in the Senate, to maintaining a strong American union. In the early 1830s, as southern states threatened to nullify federal authority over a tariff bill that would have hurt plantation economies, Clay set aside his own preference for the new law to orchestrate a compromise. In 1850, with the North and South on the verge of armed conflict over the extension of slavery into the new western territories, Clay again stepped in with proposals that, temporarily at least, satisfied both sections. This last act of his career earned him the title of Great Pacificator.”
“His admirers called him ‘Gallant Harry,‘ and his impetuous charm made him quite possibly the most beloved politician of his generation. But the real legacy of Kentucky's Henry Clay was his unstinting devotion, in the House of Representatives and later in the Senate, to maintaining a strong American union. In the early 1830s, as southern states threatened to nullify federal authority over a tariff bill that would have hurt plantation economies, Clay set aside his own preference for the new law to orchestrate a compromise. In 1850, with the North and South on the verge of armed conflict over the extension of slavery into the new western territories, Clay again stepped in with proposals that, temporarily at least, satisfied both sections. This last act of his career earned him the title of Great Pacificator.”
Credits. This page was last revised on February 12, 2023. It was originally submitted on September 4, 2012, by Ken Smith of Milan, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 631 times since then and 29 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on September 4, 2012, by Ken Smith of Milan, Tennessee. 3. submitted on October 16, 2015, by Allen C. Browne of Silver Spring, Maryland. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.
