Town Clock Building
About this property
The Town Clock is a large clock that stands in downtown Dubuque, Iowa. The clock has stood over the city for over 140 years. The present clock is the second "Town Clock"; the first collapsed in the 1870s, killing three people. The building on which it originally stood is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, but the clock tower itself is not. Dr. Asa Horr began the fundraising effort to build a town clock in Dubuque, Iowa in 1864. The clock was built by New York City's Naylor & Co. and its frame was designed by architect William Longhurst. George D. Wood gave a ten-year lease to the city for the clock to be placed on the John Bell and Company Store building which they owned. The building had originally housed a Congregational church and then "The Odeon", a German theater. That was followed by the post office, and then a concert hall before it became the home of the John Bell Company. This first clock was placed on a tower of the building at a cost of $3,000. All men who had pledged at least $25 formed the Dubuque Town Clock Company to oversee its maintenance. On May 25, 1872, several people noticed cracks forming in the walls of the store building. Workers attempted to clear the location where they expected the clock to fall. At 5:16 PM, both the clock and the John Bell store collapsed, killing a child and two women who were inside the store at the time. An investigation into the matter reported that the foundation of the Bell Store was not sufficient to handle the clock's weight. It was also reported that construction next door was the primary cause of the accident. Losses from the disaster were estimated to be between $15,000 and $20,000. Dubuque residents soon decided to replace the collapsed Town Clock. George Wood, who had owned the collapsed building, wanted the new town clock on his property, but John Bell was not interested in being a part of the project. Wood decided to build the new building on his own, while the tower was paid for through subscriptions. He cleared the remainder of the collapsed building and the neighboring Dr. Lay residence. A partnership between architects Fridolin Heer, Sr. and Edward Naescher designed the new building, as well as plans for a new three-story tower. A three-story brick Italianate building was designed to support the tower, which rose 58 feet (18 m) above the building. The city paid the $5,309.46 cost for the new clock, which began operating on April 17, 1873. The bell, which weighs over 4,200 pounds (1,900 kg), was cast by Naylor & Co. and the clock was built by Boston firm Howard & Co. Time was recorded via a subterranean transit instrument which was used to observe the passage of stars. This provided accurate time readings to within half of a second and was always kept accurate within two seconds.
Location
Categories
Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).
Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
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Questions about this property
When was Town Clock Building listed on the National Register?
Town Clock Building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on January 24, 2002.
What type of historic resource is Town Clock Building?
Town Clock Building is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.
What is the period of significance for Town Clock Building?
The period of significance for Town Clock Building is recorded as the industrial era.
Can I research the history near Town Clock Building?
Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Town Clock Building will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.
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