NAWCC members come to the rescue of a local California tower clock.

The Seth Thomas Company in Thomaston, Connecticut, manufactured the Beale tower clock in 1904. In the language of clockmakers, its design is described as a manual rewind, four dial, weight driven, time and strike clock with a deadbeat anchor escapement. The clock is powered by the force of 120 pounds of suspended weight attached to the clockworks by a mechanism of pulleys and a #40 roller chain. A pendulum 39.372 inches long, weighing 92 pounds, regulates the pace of the clock at one beat per second. An electric rewind motor utilizing a 40:1 gear reduction that turns at six revolutions per minute replaces the original rewind hand crank. The clock strikes on the hour. The strike mechanism is powered by 600 pounds of suspended weight attached to the strike works by a cable and a series of pulleys. The chime is a bell 60 in. tall and 60 in. wide, weighing 1000 pounds. Like the clockworks, the strike drive rewind crank has been replaced with an electric motor.

The Beale clock was first installed in a clock tower constructed at the intersection of 17th and Chester Avenue in downtown Bakersfield in 1904. An earthquake ravaged the downtown area in 1952 and damaged the clock tower, which was subsequently dismantled and removed.

The Pioneer Village Museum is dedicated to the preservation of Kern County memorabilia. A replica of the original Beale clock tower was reconstructed on the Chester Avenue frontage of Pioneer Village in 1964. During reconstruction of the clock, the clockworks were modernized. The pendulum, escapement, and rewind mechanism were removed and replaced by an electric motor. The strike rewind hand crank was also replaced by an electric motor.

In 1997 the staff of the Pioneer Village Museum met with Bakersfield citizens interested in preserving Kern County memorabilia, to discuss future activities at Pioneer Village. Walt Koch, a clock collector and expert clockmaker, was involved in this discussion. Noting the condition of the Beale clock and knowing how grand the original design had been, Mr. Koch sought permission to overhaul the clock, returning it to its original weight-driven and pendulum-regulated design.

A task force headed up by Scott Feiber and Walt Koch worked out the financial details and logistics for the reconstruction.

Walter Koch assembled a team of volunteer craftsmen lead by himself and supported by Chuck Roeser, an expert on Seth Thomas clocks, located in Lockport, New York. To return the clock to its original state the team needed to replace parts taken off and lost when the clock was reconstructed at Pioneer Village. Missing parts included the escape wheel and arbor, the winding drum, the fourth wheel and shaft, and the pendulum stick and suspension spring. Roeser worked from historic documents to build new parts according to the original Seth Thomas plans. Restoration work was completed early in May 2001. The clock was dedicated on May 18, in the Pioneer Village Museum in a ceremony held at the base of the tower.

Recognition

Vision and Leadership—Walter F. Koch

Finance and Logistics—Scott Feiber, Corola Enriquez, Cleon Johnson, and Jeff Johnson

Volunteer Craftsmen—Walt Allsman, Norman Knight, Earl McNabb, Basil Knowlton, and Fred Kittredge

Seth Thomas Expert—Chuck Roeser

Clock Dials—Rosedale Glass, Walt Esslinger

Gold Leaf Numbers— All That Lettering, Dean Ross

The Guys at Walt’s Diesel—Chris Koch, Wally Koch, David Cabral, and Will Maderas.

About the Author

Walt and Marie Koch are longtime NAWCC members. They have been participating in National events and in local Chapter 97 for many years.

Walt has served as president and is very active in the restoration of community and local clocks.

Marie has written the chapter happenings off and on for several years and has served as treasurer and historian for the local chapter.

Walt and Marie still work at their diesel repair business. They hope to retire soon and become full time clock enthusiasts.