Volunteers keep Indiana county courthouse clock ticking
EVANSVILLE, Ind. (AP) - On a Sunday morning in early February, Carroll Hickrod arrived at the Old Vanderburgh County Courthouse.
He stood out front waiting for the chimes of the clock as it struck 11 -- his ritual before going up the nearly 140 steps of the clock tower to check that everything was working properly. The minute hand struck 11 a.m., but to Hickrod's surprise there were no resounding gongs to fill the Downtown air. Hickrod climbed to the ladder-like stairs to find weights detached from the system that rings the clock's bell.
"I knew my work would be cut out for me that day," he said.
Hickrod, a retired mechanic from Alcoa, has volunteered his time to provide maintenance for the courthouse clock for the last five years. Like his many predecessors, Hickrod, and his new partner Dan DeYoung, see the courthouse clock as a glimpse into Evansville's history and a treasure that cannot be left to wither away.
Hickrod and DeYoung are still working on the weight system, one of the larger repairs they've dealt with. The pair took the hot summer months off and are currently taking apart some of the clockworks to check the rewind system, which helps move the weights to ring the bell.
The pair won't know how much the project will cost or how soon it can be fixed until they isolate the issue with the rewind system. DeYoung said the maintenance projects require a lot of problem solving and trial and error.
"When you're working with a 125-year-old clock, there are going to be pieces that are not available anymore or records to check when things were last replaced or repairs," he said. "If we do need to replace anything, it has to be a custom job because there isn't a chance for us to find something that could currently fit this system."
Hickrod and DeYoung make the trek up to the clock house, which holds the clockworks year round, as weather permits. Their volunteerism is not lost on the County Commissioners, who fund the repairs needed for the clock.
Kristin Comer, superintendent of county buildings, said their dedication is an example of why preserving historic sites and buildings is important.
"For many people, the Old Courthouse and its clock tower are a symbol of sorts for Evansville. It matters to people when they don't hear the bell ring or see the clock working," she said. "The courthouse clock was the source of time for Downtown businesses at one point. Even though it might not hold that same purpose for workers, the clock still holds a significant piece of our history."
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Source: Evansville Courier and Press, http://bit.ly/2dL9Wxk
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Information from: Evansville Courier & Press, http://www.courierpress.com