Hudson City Council recently toured the inside of the Hudson Clock Tower, Hudson’s most recognizable landmark (see photos below). Council voted on June 21 to authorize the needed repairs that will allow the clock hands to function again, among other maintenance.
The E. Howard Clock movement parts inside the clock need to be refurbished and maintenance performed to ensure the clock is in full working order. Upcoming work includes cleaning all movement components, refurbishing/replacing worn parts, servicing and recalibrating strikes, and replacing bell hammer pads and springs. The Clock Tower receives regular service each year including inspections and repairs as needed.
The project bid will be advertised in July and awarded in late July or early August. Work is expected to take approximately 10 weeks with completion this fall.
History of the Hudson Clock Tower
The Hudson Clock Tower was gifted to the City by Hudson native James Ellsworth in 1912. Ellsworth contracted New York architect Henry Hardenburg to design and build the 44-foot-9-inch Clock Tower in a traditional Romanesque style. The original clockworks were supplied by E. Howard Clock Company of Boston. The gravitational pull of 3,000 pounds of weights powered the clock and Westminster chimes. The town marshal was responsible for climbing inside the tower and winding the weights every few days to keep the clock on time.
More than 20 years ago, the City replaced the weights with an electric motor. The fountains on either side of the Clock Tower, originally used as water fountains for people and one for horses, are now used as flowerpots.
