Allen-Bradley Co Clock

Years ago, a friend of another mutual friend (who worked at Allen Bradley/​Rockwell) told me a story about how there’s a bar in the Allen Bradley building for employees, and well, as you can imagine, this is another **other stories for other times**. (I’ll make the disclaimer that this is just what I heard. not sure if there is or was a bar there.)
These days when go by the clock tower, I think about how it is (or at least was) the largest four faced clock in the world, how cool it is to drive under the building overpass on 2^nd street, and then think «when did companies start having bars on premises for their employees?»
Clock towers nice. It’s our little Big Ben. With a bar.

Thank you, Allen-​Bradley Co Clock, for allowing me to keep my eyes on the road while simultaneously checking the time and/​or temp. I appreciate not having to look down at my console to check the time when I’m in your neck of the woods because, in your neighborhood, people drive like idiots. If I’m not dodging pot holes, then it’s bicyclists who think that the stop lights don’t apply to them; also, the people who are afraid of how narrow the lanes get and so, take up two.
While imitation is supposed to be the sincerest form of flattery, that «other» clock over in Saudi Arabia was clearly built just to spite you. You know what? Screw ‘em! You’re the ORIGINAL! In my heart AND those of many other Milwaukeeans. I take great pride in telling my out of town guests about you.
You be you, A-​B Clock. We got your back.
105÷2015÷200

… this giant temperature gauge boasts the capacity to show double digit negative temperatures. (Did not know until this a.m.)
Five stars for functionality! Thanks for always lighting my way home, Polish Moon. You always let me know exactly how late I’m running. Your adjacent large-​scale commitment to our outdoor temperature keeps me in-​the-​know long after I’ve left the house, too. Bonus points for trying… but you’re a bit unnecessary these days. Sorry. You were forged prior to the internet so I certainly won’t dock you any on the star rating, however.
Largest four-​facing clock in the world until Abu Dhabi had to go and ruin it. (They ruin everything that way, don’t they?)
POLISH MOON POLISH MOON POLISH MOON 4EVA

The Allen-​Bradley Clock Tower was built as a part of an office addition made to the Allen-​Bradley research and headquarters office building in the 1960s. At the time of its dedication on October 31, 1962, the clock was the largest 4-​faced clock in the world.
The clock faces, at 40’3−½″ each, are roughly twice the size of the clock on London’s Clock Tower on the Palace of Westminster. For this reason, chimes were never added to the Allen-​Bradley Clock so the Palace of Westminster clock could remain the largest chiming clock in the world. Both records were lost when the Abraj Al Bait tower opened in Mecca, Saudi Arabia in 2012. (The clock on London’s Palace of Westminster is simply known as «The Clock» and is often mistakenly referred to as Big Ben. The name of the largest bell in the tower is Big Ben, not the clock.)
The faces are comprised of 3900 pounds of glass in the form of 76 individual pieces that are each about 4′ square. The hour hands are 16 feet long and weigh 490 pounds. The minute hands are 20′ long and weigh 550 pounds. The hands telescope and can be shortened in the event of an emergency. The hour indicators are 4′ in length, the triangle-​shaped symbols are 3′ wide at the base.
The four faces are lit by several high-​power florescent tubes. The faces can be seen from Holy Hill (about 35 miles northwest of Milwaukee) and can be seen as far as 45 miles out to sea on Lake Michigan. (This reporter, on a flight from Boston to Minneapolis, observed the clock from 36,000 feet above Green Bay, about 120 miles to the north.)
Each clock is driven by its own motor and gear system. There are two motors, one drives the clock hands and the smaller can accelerate or retard the hands of the clock to keep it on time.
The initial designs for the clock tower, prepared by Fitzhugh Scott as early as the late 1950s, included several designs that (obviously) could not be used. One of the designs for a smaller tower, was added to the final building design. The smaller tower houses a digital thermometer.
When the Bradley family sold Allen-​Bradley to Rockwell Automation in 1985, the name of the clock tower remained the Allen-​Bradley Clock Tower. (Allen-​Bradley also remains the trade name of some of Rockwell Automation’s product line.)

The Allen Bradley clock is just cool — plain and simple. It is helpful in several ways! It tells the time, provides a great landmark that is helpful for navigation, shines illumination and is Milwaukee specific. It is a key visual to our city.
I haven’t (yet) had the pleasure of being in the clock, but do I hope to one day get that chance!
And really, I’d hope that the clock is there and functioning forever! Even after I’m fertilizer!

Can’t Find My Way Home
The clock is an excellent navigational aid.