The statue was sculpted by Haig Patigian in San Francisco , California , where it fell over during the 1906 San Francisco earthquake but was cushioned by a large plaster model that had braced its fall . The artist discovered his statue lying down in a foundry near the waterfront south of Market Street in San Francisco . Patigian feared his statue might melt , but he had to leave it since it was too large for him to move . A week later , the foundry owner told Patigian that the statue had been destroyed
1906 San Francisco earthquake
1906 San Francisco earthquake
William McKinley statue (Patigian)