Lumichron Completes Fergus County Courthouse Clock Restoration
The whinny of horses breaks the silence as the midnight blue of a star-studded sky gives way to pink and gold. Grunts and curses of cowboys who didn’t make it to bed the night before spill out into the otherwise quiet street. In front of the saloon, an empty bottle rolls into the road like a small glass tumbleweed.
The sound of hoofbeats gets louder. A shout of alarm is heard as men exiting the saloon reach for their weapons. Shots ring out. At first, black smoke lingers in the air, making it difficult to see who won and who lost. When the dust settles, those left standing survey the damage. The new cowboy paid a gambling debt with his life. Stray bullets caught an onlooker, who now clutches his shoulder and prays. The horse of one of the instigators lies dead in the street. Faces of sleepy residents appear in the windows above. They want to see what the fuss is about…
At least, that’s what we imagine life might have been like in Central Montana in the early 1900’s. The work of Charles Marion Russell, a cowboy-turned artist from nearby Great Falls, suggests we might not be far off. His painting “Smoke from a .45” depicts a similar scene.
But the untamed landscape of the ‘wild west’ was giving way to civilization.
Clock on Courthouse Tells Outlaws Their Time Is Up
Professionals and businessman had set their sights on Lewistown, MT. What was once a trading post had turned into a permanent settlement. The inflow of business brought infrastructure and an increased need for judicial oversight.
Construction of the Fergus County Courthouse began in 1907. The Courthouse’s Classical Revival design came from architect Newton C. Gauntt of Yakima, Washington. Gauntt’s plans called for a dramatic brick building, crowned with a dome. The dome would host an impressive set of four 8’ diameter clocks. The use of bricks generated a great to-do, as most buildings in the area were built with native stone. Though the E. Howard Tower Clock was also imported from the east, it was met with far less public concern. Perhaps because the clock lent the courthouse an air of importance.
As we later performed repairs on the clock, we couldn’t help but envision the following scene:
A band of outlaws rides up on the courthouse for the first time. As they come over the last rise before the valley, the tower clock looms large, stopping them in their tracks. When the clock hands of the clock reach 3, the sound of the bell rings out. With each loud gong, a spark of dread creeps into their hearts.
The law had come to Lewistown. And judging by the impressive clock atop the imposing brick building, they meant business.
Time Stops For Courthouse Clock
Though the Fergus County Courthouse clock outlasted the “wild west” days of early century cowboys, it wouldn’t tick forever.
Older residents recall a time when the E. Howard Tower Clock told you when it was time to head home for dinner. But, as happens with historic clocks, the four faces drifted out of sync. Eventually, each of the four faces displayed a different time – and none of them was the right one.
The broken clock became a sore spot for members of the Lewistown community. “It’s a visual icon when you come into Lewistown on Main Street Hill and seeing the wrong time is disheartening,” said one long-time resident.
Citizens had expressed frustration with the broken clocks for several years. Some even donated to a clock restoration fund. And it wasn’t only residents who noticed. Even visitors commented that the highly-visible clock faces displayed the wrong time.
Fixing the dysfunctional clocks became a priority for County commissioners.
Fergus County Seeks to Restore Historic Clock
Efforts to restore the clock began several years ago. But it was a challenge to find someone who was able to do the job.
Clock restoration experts aren’t easy to come by, especially out west. County commissioners had a hard time getting someone to come out to look at the clock, let alone provide an accurate quote.
Knowing how important these clocks were to county residents, one commissioner made them part of his campaign platform. He had promised to restore the clocks when he was elected in 2018. By 2020, he was up for re-election and running out of time.
Lumichron Completes Courthouse Clock Restoration
Lumichron was first contacted about the project in early 2020, and was happy to provide a quote. We got the go-ahead from the County to begin the restoration project in September.
The goal of the restoration was to get all 4 clocks and the bell striking working again. We retrofitted the tower clocks with new clock motors, and installed an electromagnetic bell striker. Fully automatic controls now operate the clocks and striker. The new parts allow the clock to keep its historical character – and ensure it will run properly for years to come. We also added all new translucent glazing and new paint on the original cast iron 8’ diameter clock dials.
The repairs took a little longer than expected, given pandemic challenges. But we still managed to get one of the faces and the bell working in time for the November 3 election. The rest of the work was finished shortly thereafter.
Our master clockmaker Ian spent a total of 3 weeks out West to complete this project, which was a long time away from home. But the town was welcoming and they were great people to work with.
It was wonderful to see how pleased people were to see the clock working again. No one could remember the last time it worked!
The Fergus County Courthouse clock once again keeps order in Lewistown, Montana.
Your historic clock can keep time again too. If you’re interested in a clock restoration quote, we’d love to hear from you. Fill out our quote request form here.
