LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — A historic clock that has watched over downtown New Albany for generations is ticking again after crews restored it Friday.
Historic New Albany clock. (WDRB/WAVE Photo)
Crews began work Friday morning on the clock atop Second Baptist Church on Main Street, installing a new mechanism to replace one that stopped working.
A crane lifted workers to the steeple, where they put the clock's hands back into place. New lighting is also being installed to illuminate the steeple at night.
The previous clock mechanism stopped working last summer and was deemed beyond repair. Friends of the Town Clock Church, a local nonprofit, partnered with Cincinnati-based Verdin Company to build its replacement.
The church, known to locals as the "Town Clock Church," holds a significant place in the heritage of the Louisville Metro area. Before and during the Civil War, the church and its congregation served as a crucial station on the Underground Railroad.
Hovering high above the Ohio River, the church's steeple served as not only a timekeeper but what the church's website describes as a "beacon of hope" and guiding light for enslaved people seeking their freedom across the river.
The restoration is part of an ongoing effort to preserve the church and its history.
Click here to learn more about the Town Clock Church.
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