Bill Mehard and his “Backyard Foundry”

Posted: August 28, 2017

Bill Mehard is a local craftsman noted for his outstanding work in metal fabrication. Many of his metal cast designs are located throughout the city of Charleston.

Born and raised in Western Pennsylvania, Bill enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1951 where he worked with mines, torpedoes and other artillery. After 25 years of service, he retired to Charleston with his family.

Bill’s retirement launched his second career in the art of metal fabrication, although his interest in it started at a young age. As a child, Bill found himself fascinated by the production of gas engines – specifically the metal castings needed to make the models. When he began working in metal as an adult, he spent a significant amount of time at J&M Foundry, a Summerville business specializing in metal castings, where Bob Meztga mentored him.

Once he gained more experience, Bill began casting small metal pieces in his driveway. Today, he calls this operation a “Backyard Foundry.” The spectacular pieces that have come out of his Backyard Foundry include the iron grills in the parapet wall at the Indigo Inn, the silver plated door hardware at 60 Montagu Street, the silver plated doorknobs at 14 Legare Street, the hardware for the door latches and knobs of 68 Warren Street, parts of the gate for the Citadel and the pew patches for Old St. Andrew’s Church.  

“Bill Mehard has a real passion for metal working and it comes through in everything he makes,” says friend and colleague, Al Crabtree. “If he doesn’t know how to make something, he will work at it until he does.” For such dedication, hard work and ingenuity HCF awarded Bill the Samuel Gaillard Stoney Conservation Craftsmanship Award in 2015.