The Clock Tower project has “been a real adventure,” said Mike Schmidt of Oxnard, president of the county chapter of the NAWCC. He noted that NAWCC members were surprised at what good shape the 102-year-old clock was in. Probably what saved the clock was the regular greasing it had been subjected to, although Schmidt said that the removal of same was the first priority.Dick Henderson of Ojai said that, after the loose parts were bagged and divided among the members to work on, it was discovered that a bushing was missing. It was later found bagged under an eve of the Clock Tower roof.“We call it a renovation instead of a restoration” because the clock cannot be returned to its original state, noted Ken McWilliams of Northridge. “We would love to take it back to 1905, but the cost would be prohibitive.”Although the model of the 1952 electrical motor was discontinued, the manufacturer, Bodine Electric Co. of Chicago, after hearing the story of the clock tower, made an exact replica and donated it to the project. The Santa Paula Historical Society also donated $500 to the project.“It took teamwork and all year” to complete the project, said McWilliams, who showed off his Atomic watch used to set the exact time. The team will revisit the clock on November 4 to reset the hands to “fall back” to standard time.
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The National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors, Ventura County Chapter held a special event at the Odd Fellows Lodge, Downtown, last Saturday. The chapter presented a program on the history of the 1905 Odd Fellows Lodge, the Seth Thomas clock and its restoration. There will also a chapter display of some very interesting clocks and watches. Above left, the clock is now in operation and strikes the bell on the hour. Part of the presentation was listening for the clock to strike at 11:00 a.m. Saturday morning. This photo (above right) shows just part of the inner works of the historic Odd Fellows Clock. The clock was restored to working condition. Photos by Don Johnson |
Historic Odd Fellows clock again keeping time
October 10, 2007
Santa Paula News
By Peggy Kelly
Santa Paula TimesIt wasn’t quite the stroke of midnight on New Year’s Eve, but the level of excitement Saturday as the Clock Tower struck 11 a.m. was just as high as the refurbished Seth Thomas whirled and its bell clanged above Main Street. Those attending the dedication whooped and applauded the efforts of the Ventura County Chapter 190 of the National Association of Watch & Clock Collectors (NAWCC), who had repaired the historic clock owned by the Odd Fellows Lodge 314.The four-faced Seth Thomas clock has been a city landmark since it was installed in 1905. For years the clock had been silent and, worse yet, often displayed four different times - and not one correct - on its different faces. Saturday’s gathering included a presentation about the history of Santa Paula, the clock and the efforts of the clock fanciers to bring it back to near-new condition, although the pendulum of the Seth Thomas was converted to electrical power in 1952.“It’s exciting, you can hear the solid gong of the bell, a solid strike... before, it was slipping,” said Ron Merson, the Odd Fellows Lodge Past-Past Noble Grand. “The help we received saved the lodge probably $49,000,” the difference between a formal quote received on restoring the clock to correct time telling glory and the cost for parts only provided to the clock association.Before the presentation, a clock show was held that featured numerous antique and unique clocks, including a monkey head that tells time with its eyes, left hour and right minutes. Another clock, an Ansonia “Plato,” had a card that noted that it is “digital” - at least the 1907 version of same.Doris Murphy said her father, the jeweler/owner of Woods Jewelry, had climbed to the tower to wind the clock weekly “for a number of years.” The Clock Tower is a symbol of the city used on various logos, and a “must be” shot for film companies. Murphy was showing Paul Skeels, the city’s retired fire chief who had an extensive display of clocks, watches and books, a pocket watch that had belonged to her father.Skeels said that he was wearing two hats, as member of both the clock association and the Odd Fellows, as the latter told him, “I had to join if I wanted to work on the clock.” Skeels became interested in clocks about a year ago, and became a founding member of the NAWCC Ventura County chapter.During the presentation, Grand Noble Dave Beaver spoke of the organization’s “ancient history,” the history of the Santa Paula Odd Fellows - it was formed in 1884 - as well as the building’s history. A 7.5 magnitude earthquake near Bakersfield in 1952 shifted the clock’s weights, which led to its conversion to electrical, he noted.
