Carter County Courthouse Seth Thomas Clock
category : Historic Courthouses
The Seth Thomas Clock in the dome of the Carter County Courthouse was installed in 1928. There is a dial on each side of the dome-- north, south, east and west. The metal plate on the front says the clock is #2677 and dated May 5, 1928. The clock as been stopped since 1988 or 1989. In April 1988, Phil Phillips owner Clock World in Ardmore, and the members of the Ardmore Fire Department, did some repair work to the clock and it worked fine for awhile. Then on October 5, 1996, the morning the bell was re-attached and the chimes started after ten years of silence.This following article was reproduced from the Daily Ardmoreite when the clock orginally arrived for installation in Ardmore in 1928.
Courthouse of Carter County to Have Clock
Timepiece, Weighing Around Ton, Has Arrived and Will Be Installed
Carter county's courthouse is to have a clock.
According to E. Berry, who was given the contract by the commissioners, the new time-piece has arrived and will be installed this week in the tower of the county capitol. A representative of the Seth Thomas Clock Company will arrive today to supervise installation of the chronometer which will weigh around a ton, exclusive of the bell, already in the tower. The clock will cost $2210. It will have four illuminated faces and its bell will be heard for a great distance.
The clock, Berry says, will be one of the best in the state. He is to keep it in repair and regulate it for a year's time. The device is guaranteed to vary less than one minute each 30 days and after final regulation is reached, the clock will vary even less than that in 60 days, Barry declared.
The bell was installed many years ago and through an arrangement made by Berry was acquired for use with the present works. It is said by Berry to be an exceptionally good bell, worth several hundred dollars. The timepiece and bell ordinarily would cost more than $4,000, he added.
An authority on Seth Thomas Tower Clocks has told us the bell (like we have) would cost at least $10,000 today to replace by a foundry. Installation of the heavy bell would be additional costs. The clock itself, if a used one could be found, would probably cost anywhere from $6,000 to $8,000. But even one at that price "would have broken parts and in deplorable condition and need much work".
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