Piece of the past will overlook downtown, new ballpark
Visitors to Fort Wayne's downtown and especially those attending games at the new Parkview Field at Harrison Square will be able to keep track of time with a glance upward. Today, Vic Martin, owner of the Baker Street Train Station, officially unveiled the 1930 clock from the former Peoples Trust Building The 1930-era clock has been set on top of the Baker Street Train Station. The clock has been in storage since 1973 when it was removed from the bank building.
“We are just pleased that we can bring back part of Fort Wayne's history and make it a part of the future,” said Vic Martin. “We changed our initial plans, and have chosen to re-orient the clock so that it now faces the new ballpark. We envision thousands of people being able to sit in those stands enjoying a game and looking up at the old bank clock'¦it's just a nice image, and a good feeling to think of how we're all doing what we can to energize our downtown.”
Mayor Tom Henry praised Martin's efforts and thanked the volunteers who had worked on bringing the clock back to its former glory. “This is the kind of image that stays in people's memories,” said Mayor Henry. “Many of us recall being downtown, maybe with our parents, and seeing the big clock or hearing its chimes. I want to thank Vic and the National Association of Watch Clock Collectors for allowing us to have this opportunity, which so easily could have been lost. I am really looking forward to having my own grandchildren be able to have that experience, too. It's wonderful when we have the opportunity to bring part of the community's history with us as we look toward an exciting new component to downtown, with the ballpark and other exciting plans underway.”
The clock is a 4'x4'x8' copper clad McClintock, one of only a few remaining in the United States. It was salvaged from the Peoples Trust Building that previously sat where One Summit Square now stands on Calhoun Street. The clock has been painstakingly restored by Chapter 26 of the National Association of Watch Clock Collectors.
The magnificent three dial clock was formerly attached to the exterior of the bank and overhung the sidewalk. The lower portion of the clock features a reader board that identified the Peoples Trust and Savings Company. The clock was illuminated from behind so that people could view it from all sides. The chimes rang every fifteen minutes.