TOLEDO, Ohio — The historic Wood County Courthouse, built in the 1890's has been standing watch over Bowling Green and Wood County for many years.
And for all those decades, its impressive clock tower, soaring 195 feet into the sky, has been providing the time of day for passing citizens on its four sided clock faces, from any direction; North, West, East and South.
On the hour, the giant iron bell rings out for all to hear. That's the way it's been since the 2,000-pound bell first echoed over the town in 1897.
It's tradition. It's the way it is. But not anymore. Not since November 8 of last year when the big hands of the four sided clock stuck and froze in place at 4:21.
"As the old joke says, it's right twice a day," chuckled Andrew Kalmar, the Wood County Administer.
He said the historic clock, one of the largest in America, stopped working when it was built because of a stripped gear. It was a very tiny gear in a small motor that powers the clock's heavy and ancient mechanisms that move the giant hands. The problem is that the motor and the gear are so old, they aren't made anymore and there are no replacement parts.
"We had to find someone who could make the gear or help us with different mechanisms to run the clock." said Kalmar.
They have found both.
A man who lives in Wood County is going to fabricate a new gear for the motor and will make six of them, just in case they need more in the future. They have also been working with with a local engineer who wants to help the county devise a new system to update the way the clock is powered.
Given a tour of the clock tower, WTOL 11 was shown how the clock, when it was first built by the E. Howard Watch and Clock Company, used a system of weights and gravity to pull the heavy clock hands.
That old system and those pulleys and gears still hang in the tower as historical remnant. The old system was replaced by an electrical motorized system, probably sometime after World War II. It has been more reliable and has stopped only a few times before.
"The last time it stopped was during the Blizzard of '78," Kalmar recalled.
It's believed that weather may have caused it to stall this time as a result of last year's deep freeze.
The polar vortex froze the clock hands in place and as a result, may have stripped the small brass gear causing it to break down completely last fall.
Whatever the reason, Steve Blausey the Facilities Director for Wood County, promises quick action once they get the part they need.
"As soon as we get that part, we are going to get it working again," he said.
That may be soon. At least that's the hope. At which point, residents and officials alike hope the big hands will begin to move again and the pride of Wood County will be right, more than twice a day.
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