TICK TOCK, WHERE'S THE BANK CLOCK?By: My Price CountyWells Fargo in Phillips is receiving a facelift with a fresh coat of paint and lighted signs. Certainly it will look great when it is finished, but area residents have shown concern, because something is missing.That something is the bank clock, which has hung over the main street of Phillips for 98 years. The State Bank of Phillips, located at 126 North Lake Avenue, which was the first bank built in Phillips after the Phillips fire of 1894, first held the clock in 1918. In 1945, the bank moved to the corner of Lake Avenue and Cherry Street, and, until weeks ago, the clock resided there, now with the addition of a temperature gauge.Since Judy Hayton, Davette Hrabak, and Lynne Bohn of Bumble Bee Rentals currently own the original brownstone bank building, the clock has been of interest to them, the scars of which can be seen on their building by the marks where the clock was once secured.Driving home from teaching summer school on June 14th, Lynne noticed that a new Wells Fargo sign now resided above the current bank building’s entrance, and she felt concerned the clock was not going to return, so she called her mom, Judy, to see what she thought about it. Judy decided to call Wells Fargo, and they said that it was not their decision locally, but the clock was not going to be reinstalled. Soon, Davette was involved with tracking down the clock, also calling a teller at Wells Fargo, who directed her to call various places.After much investigation, Davette found that the clock had been taken down by a sign company out of the area. Davette called that business and spoke with a gentleman who said that he was going to sell it for scrap metal the very next day given he did not know its historical value to the townspeople. Learning of its value, he was willing to help the community get it back. Davette told him of Bumble Bee Rentals’ interest in the clock, and he said he would hold it for a short while, e-mail some photos of what remained, and wait to hear of their decision to determine the fate of the clock. Even though the clock needs a lot or repair, the three ladies immediately decided they wanted to find a way to get the clock restored. “I’m just happy that I saved it from getting scrapped, because had I not called on June 15th, it was going to be completely destroyed early the next morning,” Davette said.Instead of total destruction, the clock frame is now back in Phillips, to the delight of many concerned citizens. While it will need much TLC, everyone involved is hoping it can once again be a staple in Phillips, Wisconsin. The Power of 3 Community Development Group, Inc. is seeking donations so that the clock can be repaired and once again displayed in Phillips. Donations can be made in various donation jars around town, at First National Bank in Phillips, or by contacting the Power of 3. If you would like to donate your restoration services or money to the effort, please contact Lynne@BohnWebDesign.com or call 715-339-3418.TICK TOCK, UPDATE ON THE BANK CLOCKWith the clock frame making its way back to Phillips from a junk yard in Minocqua, where it was for a couple of weeks in June, it is now time to restore this historic timepiece of Phillips.Judy Hayton and her daughters, Davette Hrabak and Lynne Bohn, the current owners of the clock, had contacted a local organization to see if they wanted to take on the restoration project. While that organization did have great interest in seeing it restored, they did not feel they had the time needed for fundraising efforts. Therefore, the mother-daughter trio formed a non-profit known as the Power of 3 Community Development Group, Inc. This non-profit’s first project will be the restoration of the clock, and any left-over funds will be used to enhance and promote the community.The clock will need extensive restoration. The inner workings need to be replaced, plus the frame needs some repair work. In researching clock restorations, various prices were found from reasonable to astronomical. They believe, however, that this restoration can be done rather quickly and at a somewhat reasonable cost, especially given the Phillips community is very giving with donating money and services. Many people in the community have also remarked that they miss the clock and cannot wait to see it back up in Phillips, so these three are hopeful this project will move along quickly.“Once we have enough money raised and some volunteers that are willing to donate their time and some materials, the clock will once again be placed in Phillips,” Lynne stated.“The clock is a 1916 clock that was hung in Phillips in 1918. It would be a shame if it was no longer a part of Phillips,” Judy added. “If we all chip in a little bit, we can have that clock back up in a rather short time.”Davette mentioned that the top donors will be recognized once the clock is restored, but any size donation is appreciated.If anyone is interested in donating to the restoration of the clock, they can do so by clicking the “Donate” button on this page, by donating at the First National Bank in Phillips into the “Power of 3" account, by contacting Davette at her CPA office at 164 South Lake Avenue, or by mailing donations to N9791 Deer Creek Road, Phillips, WI 54555. You can also e-mail Lynne@BohnWebDesign.com if you would like to donate any services or materials for the project. Some area businesses have also agreed to put out donation jars, so those will be appearing around town later in September.THE BANK CLOCKBy: Therese TrojakThe outdoor clock was manufactured in 1916 by O.B. McClintock of Minneapolis and installed at the bank in 1918 at 126 North Lake Avenue, then moved to the present building when the bank moved in February 1948. It was actually run by a spring-operated timepiece which was wound once a week. An electrical system transported impulses from the interior clock to what was actually a China face that registered the time outside the bank. When the power failed, the electrical system was backed by a battery, so the clock would always tell the correct time. Up until 1970, the chimes sounded every quarter hour and pealed each hour of the day.The clock has always been of assistance to all who travel day or night on Highway 13 through Phillips. It's been said that Greyhound bus drivers would set their watches to keep their schedules and that all truckers find its location very convenient for "watching the clock."Vandals damaged the clock with a rifle in January 1980 and it was repaired in August of that year. On October 23, 1982 the clock was again damaged. The face and glass cover were ripped apart by a shotgun blast. The shotgun pellets did not damage the hands and motor. A Wausau company manufactured the new face which was replaced February 11, 1983.
TICK TOCK, WHERE'S THE BANK CLOCK?By: My Price CountyWells Fargo in Phillips is receiving a facelift with a fresh coat of paint and lighted signs. Certainly it will look great when it is finished, but area residents have shown concern, because something is missing.That something is the bank clock, which has hung over the main street of Phillips for 98 years. The State Bank of Phillips, located at 126 North Lake Avenue, which was the first bank built in Phillips after the Phillips fire of 1894, first held the clock in 1918. In 1945, the bank moved to the corner of Lake Avenue and Cherry Street, and, until weeks ago, the clock resided there, now with the addition of a temperature gauge.Since Judy Hayton, Davette Hrabak, and Lynne Bohn of Bumble Bee Rentals currently own the original brownstone bank building, the clock has been of interest to them, the scars of which can be seen on their building by the marks where the clock was once secured.Driving home from teaching summer school on June 14th, Lynne noticed that a new Wells Fargo sign now resided above the current bank building’s entrance, and she felt concerned the clock was not going to return, so she called her mom, Judy, to see what she thought about it. Judy decided to call Wells Fargo, and they said that it was not their decision locally, but the clock was not going to be reinstalled. Soon, Davette was involved with tracking down the clock, also calling a teller at Wells Fargo, who directed her to call various places.After much investigation, Davette found that the clock had been taken down by a sign company out of the area. Davette called that business and spoke with a gentleman who said that he was going to sell it for scrap metal the very next day given he did not know its historical value to the townspeople. Learning of its value, he was willing to help the community get it back. Davette told him of Bumble Bee Rentals’ interest in the clock, and he said he would hold it for a short while, e-mail some photos of what remained, and wait to hear of their decision to determine the fate of the clock. Even though the clock needs a lot or repair, the three ladies immediately decided they wanted to find a way to get the clock restored. “I’m just happy that I saved it from getting scrapped, because had I not called on June 15th, it was going to be completely destroyed early the next morning,” Davette said.Instead of total destruction, the clock frame is now back in Phillips, to the delight of many concerned citizens. While it will need much TLC, everyone involved is hoping it can once again be a staple in Phillips, Wisconsin. The Power of 3 Community Development Group, Inc. is seeking donations so that the clock can be repaired and once again displayed in Phillips. Donations can be made in various donation jars around town, at First National Bank in Phillips, or by contacting the Power of 3. If you would like to donate your restoration services or money to the effort, please contact Lynne@BohnWebDesign.com or call 715-339-3418.TICK TOCK, UPDATE ON THE BANK CLOCKWith the clock frame making its way back to Phillips from a junk yard in Minocqua, where it was for a couple of weeks in June, it is now time to restore this historic timepiece of Phillips.Judy Hayton and her daughters, Davette Hrabak and Lynne Bohn, the current owners of the clock, had contacted a local organization to see if they wanted to take on the restoration project. While that organization did have great interest in seeing it restored, they did not feel they had the time needed for fundraising efforts. Therefore, the mother-daughter trio formed a non-profit known as the Power of 3 Community Development Group, Inc. This non-profit’s first project will be the restoration of the clock, and any left-over funds will be used to enhance and promote the community.The clock will need extensive restoration. The inner workings need to be replaced, plus the frame needs some repair work. In researching clock restorations, various prices were found from reasonable to astronomical. They believe, however, that this restoration can be done rather quickly and at a somewhat reasonable cost, especially given the Phillips community is very giving with donating money and services. Many people in the community have also remarked that they miss the clock and cannot wait to see it back up in Phillips, so these three are hopeful this project will move along quickly.“Once we have enough money raised and some volunteers that are willing to donate their time and some materials, the clock will once again be placed in Phillips,” Lynne stated.“The clock is a 1916 clock that was hung in Phillips in 1918. It would be a shame if it was no longer a part of Phillips,” Judy added. “If we all chip in a little bit, we can have that clock back up in a rather short time.”Davette mentioned that the top donors will be recognized once the clock is restored, but any size donation is appreciated.If anyone is interested in donating to the restoration of the clock, they can do so by clicking the “Donate” button on this page, by donating at the First National Bank in Phillips into the “Power of 3" account, by contacting Davette at her CPA office at 164 South Lake Avenue, or by mailing donations to N9791 Deer Creek Road, Phillips, WI 54555. You can also e-mail Lynne@BohnWebDesign.com if you would like to donate any services or materials for the project. Some area businesses have also agreed to put out donation jars, so those will be appearing around town later in September.THE BANK CLOCKBy: Therese TrojakThe outdoor clock was manufactured in 1916 by O.B. McClintock of Minneapolis and installed at the bank in 1918 at 126 North Lake Avenue, then moved to the present building when the bank moved in February 1948. It was actually run by a spring-operated timepiece which was wound once a week. An electrical system transported impulses from the interior clock to what was actually a China face that registered the time outside the bank. When the power failed, the electrical system was backed by a battery, so the clock would always tell the correct time. Up until 1970, the chimes sounded every quarter hour and pealed each hour of the day.The clock has always been of assistance to all who travel day or night on Highway 13 through Phillips. It's been said that Greyhound bus drivers would set their watches to keep their schedules and that all truckers find its location very convenient for "watching the clock."Vandals damaged the clock with a rifle in January 1980 and it was repaired in August of that year. On October 23, 1982 the clock was again damaged. The face and glass cover were ripped apart by a shotgun blast. The shotgun pellets did not damage the hands and motor. A Wausau company manufactured the new face which was replaced February 11, 1983.