Sewickley United Methodist Church

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Village Clock Tower Facts

Warren Kinneer

Information on the Clock Tower was provided by Paul Collier, former church historian

Tower

  • Built 1882-1884

  • Cornerstone Laid: July 25, 1882

  • Church Dedicated: June 20, 1884

  • Total Cost $45,000; $15,000 received from Will of Rev. Charles Thorn

  • Height from Ground to Top of Steeple: 172 Feet

  • New Time Capsule installed 1996

Clock and Bell

  • Clock purchased: 1883 – E. Howard Clock Co. of Boston, Mass.

  • One of 17 delivered to Pittsburgh churches and Public buildings in late 1800’s

  • Bell purchased at the same time from Clinton H. Meneely and Co., Troy, N.Y.

  • Original Clock and bell striker driven by weights of total 100 and 350 lbs. respectively – Cranked once a week

  • Cost of Clock & Bell in 1883 was $1,067.63 ($575.00 + $492.63)

  • Inscription on Bell

    • One side
      “Let Us Sing Unto the Lord”
      “Let Us Make A Joyful Noise”
      “To The Rock Of Our Salvation”
      “Psalm XCVI”

    • Other Side
      Sewickleyville Methodist
      Episcopal Church A.D. 1883

  • Clock and Drive on 3rd floor of tower

  • Clock faces, dials, and bell on 8th floor of tower

  • First converted to electric in 1919 – Modernized in 1953

  • Sewickley Borough assumed maintenance responsibility of clock in 1953 – Church lacked expertise

  • Steeple struck by lightning many times causing clock to stop and damage to finial

  • Several small fires in tower over its long history believed to be caused by birds carrying lit cigarette stubs

  • Screens added in 1953 and 1996 to lock out birds

  • Fire Suppression System (sprinkler) installed 1996 – Water Deluge to top of steeple – Manually actuated

  • Except for period 1950 – 1953, clock and bell have operated 24 hours a day since 1884

  • Current electronic clock installed in 1996

Original Construction Materials

  • All wooden construction

  • Wooden beams and buttresses act as frame for tower and steeple-main support

  • Architect’s fee - $1,050

  • Brick is used as “skin” for tower – not structural

  • Slate is used for the roof of steeple

  • No steel beams – tie rods added in 1932 for strengthening

  • Copper has replaced original wooden dormers, arches, turrets, and fascia – donated by Hussey Corp., Leetsdale, PA

  • Brick kilned in Aleppo and hauled to site by horse and wagon

  • Stone from Briar Hill in Maryland delivered by rail

  • Tower reconstructed at cost of $369,179.51 in 1995 – 1996