AMHERST — The dream of two local men to have a vintage clock grace the downtown area was 10 years in the making, but it’s paid off with a handsome black and gold time piece that’s already become a traffic stopper.

“I’ve had people out here honking horns at drivers who stop or slow down to check it out,” Tom Dubroy said, post commander of Amherst Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1662, near which the $20,000 clock was erected. “People in town really seem to love it.”

Formally dedicated Tuesday evening, the clock stands 15 feet tall and weighs in at a solid 915 pounds, including a 465-pound clock head and a 450-pound base.

“We thought it would be delivered on a small truck, but it came in on a semi,” DuBroy said. “It was a lot heavier than we thought.”

A plaque at the base of the clock recognizes the campaign begun in 1999 by former Amherst mayor John Higgins, who died in 2007, and Dr. William Harlan, a retired Amherst dentist.

Their efforts raised $20,000 over the years. The city’s VFW and American Legion posts each contributed $5,000, while the Amherst Eagles donated $2,500, according to DuBroy.

The remaining $7,500 came from individual donations.

Manufactured by Verdin Design Group in Cincinnati, makers of classic-style, two-faced street clocks for cities, churches, hotels and shopping centers, the Howard replica clock is similar to a trio of clocks that once graced city streets in Lorain.
For Harlan, the clock is a reminder of his youth in Lorain and the three street clocks.

“They piqued my interest, and from then on, I always had an interest in clocks and watches, and all types of clock movements,” said Harlan, who owns the workings of one of those clocks from his youth. “They were just beautiful pieces.”

The new clock — which includes the wording “Est. 1811 Amherst, O” — is electric, a nod to modern technology.

“The old ones were powered by weights … 112-pound lead weights that moved downward,” Harlan said.

The clock’s locale was chosen after other city sites were ruled out. The Amherst Historical Society gave its OK to locate the clock in front of the VFW hall, which is located within the city’s historic district.

At night, the clock is even more of a showpiece, thanks to its twin illuminated faces.

“You can really see it for a couple of blocks either way,” DuBroy said.

Another concession to modern times is the clock’s automatic resetting to conform to changes to and from Daylight Saving Time. And in addition to stopping traffic, the timepiece also is becoming a landmark, DuBroy said. “When people ask for directions on how to get here, I tell them, ‘Look for the big clock,’ ” he said.

Contact Steve Fogarty at 329-7146 or sfogarty@chroniclet.com.

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