Clock Mechanism Repair - 2007
In December 2006, time stopped in downtown Minneapolis as the clock on the City Hall and Courthouse was shut down. As of December 8, 2007, the clocks are once again keeping time, now with greater accuracy through synchronization with a GPS system. The neon will be reinstalled on the hands and numerals this spring so the time can also be seen at night.
On December 1st, 2006, Municipal Building Commission staff stopped the clock mechanism after they discovered a considerable amount of metal shavings that indicated the gears that rotate the clock hands were grinding. The mechanism had been running the clock hands for nearly 50 years and was showing its age. Because of both its size and age, parts weren’t available at the neighborhood hardware store.
The Municipal Building Commission hired Lee Manufacturing, based in Muskego, Wisconsin, to bring the century-old clock into the modern era. The project included removing and refurbishing the hands, rebuilding the dial gears, and installing a unit behind each face to drive the hands. All four faces are controlled by a master clock unit that uses a GPS signal to automatically set the time.
The new mechanism will ensure that the City Hall and Courthouse clock retains its status as an icon of Minneapolis and a reliable reference for downtown residents and workers.
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