Courthouse Clock(s)

[W. Gray]

In all the forum traffic, I do not find anything about the new courthouse clocks. Coming in at night along the new washboard Randolph in front of the courthouse, the lit up clocks were quite noticeable.

As a young boy from Independence, Missouri, in the late forties visiting the kin in Howard, I often wondered why the courthouse had no clock even though it looked like there should be one. Our Jackson County courthouse was on a central square surrounded on four sides by the business district and had four clocks. We could always keep track of time when we were in town, which was frequent. In those days, there were no outlying shopping areas. If you wanted something, you had to board a city bus and take a maybe two-mile ride to the business district (five cents).

When I inquired about the absence of an Elk County clock, a Howard adult told me with absolute authority the county took the iron mechanisms down during World War II donating them to a scrap metal drive in support of the war effort. I believed it but I always wondered if Elk County gave theirs why didn't any of the other counties having courthouse clocks.

As we have all found out, the clocks were never installed when the building was erected back in 1908.

Even though late, they are a nice touch. However, they will never serve the purpose they once would have. People in 1908 did not have wristwatches and few men had a pocket watch. I suspect the whole town could have kept track of time when the chimes rang. Of course, visually checking the time from Wabash would have been another story.

[Janet Harrington]

The clocks are a nice touch.  I haven't seen them at night.  I've only heard them chime once.  However; I have noticed that the west clock does not work unless it is working as of last Wednesday.  It's hands were on the 12.  The other three clocks do work.  I'm sure it was quite the undertaking and the people who worked so very hard to do this deserve a round of applause.

[CrumCowgirlMama]

I'm not in town much. If I am, I'm uptown or getting fuel at P & J's. I've seen the clocks lit up at night and they look beautiful. But I was just wondering, do they chime each hour or only at noon?

[Teresa]

I haven't figured it out yet, but they do chime.... Night ..Day...Morning.....
chime chime chime.
ring ring ring

[Wilma]

I think they are supposed to chime every hour during daylight and not during the night.

[Mom70x7]

I hear them chiming - and I like it.

I haven't heard any ringing, though  just a nice chime during the day. Don't they stop at 10 at night? The earliest I've heard them is 8 in the morning.

[indygal]

I love the chimes. It's a homey touch, and I'm pleased Howard has the clock working and the chimes chiming. Every small town I've lived in had a courthouse clock that would chime on the hour (except maybe Chanute, I don't recall). I remember. as a teenager, using it as my curfew warning when I was across town from home (and probably doing something I shouldn't have been! LOL)

[indygal]

It's true I've spent a lot of hours indoors with the AC running, but I've not heard the courthouse clock bell chime for several days now. Am I (not) hearing things?

[heather_tyler_2014]

yes i do hear the clocks that's just because I LIVE SO FAR AWAY FROM THEM (just across the street) and i havent heard them for awhile

[indygal]

I hope it's a temporary thing...I miss the chimes striking the hour. The extra "music" was a bit much, but I even miss that, too!