Preservationists want to restore historic Lexington street clock

Preservationists want to restore a historic street clock that has been downtown for nearly 100 years.

The cast-iron clock, which is about 14 feet tall, usually stands at the corner of Main Street and Limestone in front of Bellini's Restaurant, but it has been removed because of the road work there, said Bettie Kerr, historic preservation officer for Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government. It will remain in storage until it's been restored.

The clock has a long history in Lexington, dating back to 1913, when Skuller's jewelry store built the clock to advertise their company, said Win Meeker, chairwoman of the Historic Preservation Commission.

Since the trolley system was started around the time the clock was built, it was also a way for people waiting for the trolley to keep track of the time, Meeker said.

The clock was made by the Brown Street Clock Co. of Pennsylvania, known for building clocks for jewelry stores, Meeker said.

Out of the many clocks built by the company all over the U.S., only about 20 remain, making Lexington's clock significant, she said.

Because the clock is nearly 100 years old, it has fallen into disrepair and needs a complete renovation, Kerr said.

This includes reinforcing its structure, updating its clockwork, restoring the "Skuller's" neon lights and replacing eyeglasses that were once below the clock's face, she said.

The Historic Preservation Commission plans to raise the $25,000 needed to restore the clock, hopefully by the end of the summer, Kerr said.

It will take about three months of work to complete the project once the money is raised, she said.

Kerr said it's vital that such a unique piece of history be restored.

"It's an important part of our community's history," she said.

This story was originally published May 31, 2010 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Preservationists want to restore historic Lexington street clock."