Spot A Clock: Public Service Building Clock

This month’s ‘Spot a Clock’ is the Public Service Building clock, located at 231 West Michigan Avenue in Milwaukee. Designed by Milwaukee architect Herman J. Esser, the building was completed in 1905. The building served as the Milwaukee Electric Railway and Light Company’s main office, central terminal, and training facility.

The Milwaukee Electric Railway and Light Company merged with the Wisconsin Electric Power Company in 1941. The transportation portions of the business were sold in the 1950s. The building continues in its role of supporting Milwaukee’s utilities, as it is the current head-quarters for We Energies.

The building was designed in the Beaux Arts Neoclassical style. A large clock is prominently featured above the main entrance. Medallions to the right and left of the clock provide the date that horse-drawn trolleys were first used by the company (1895) and the date electric trolleys began operation (1905).

The ornate neoclassical style of the building exterior is carried inside to the lobby and 2-story atrium. The building also served another historic role in Milwaukee. A plaque on the south side of the building commemorates a meeting held in 1919 establishing the Wisconsin department of the American Legion. The building is also listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

Recent Posts

Our next Mart will be on March 10th, 2024

Presidents Message,

We will continue to need some help setting up and taking down.  So arrive at 9:00 and help setup and stay after the educational talk to help return the room in the condition we found it in.  Thank you for your help in this.

Opens at 9:00 for setup and mart.
Robert Olney will be demonstrating glass cutting beginning at 10:00 during the mart.
Educational talk at 11:00.
Cleanup at 12:00.

We need a new secretary.  The main job is just to put this newsletter together.  Please offer to help so no one is overburdened, only takes around an hour per meeting.

We have some demonstrations planned for upcoming meetings as follows:

  • Mar – Glass cutting (Robert Olney)
  • May – Re-pivoting clock and watch arbors (Dempsey)
  • Sep– Balance staff and hairspring replacement (Dempsey)
  • Nov – Winding clock & watch mainsprings (Osterud/Dempsey)
  • Jan – Resilver dials (White)

We had to presentations at our February mart. Harry Schultz gave a talk on Making a Calendar Wheel to replace a damaged wheel from an English Tall Case Clock.  He created a “simple” dividing plate and used it to layout his part.  He then cut the teeth with a splitting saw and jewelers saw.  After the part was cut Harry then filed it to shape and fitted it to the clock. Thanks Harry for this informative talk.

Michael Figueira discussed letting down the spring on a 1986 vintage Elgin 400-day clock.  This clock is known as a German time bomb.  It received this nickname from its less than obvious way to let down the tension in the mainspring. Letting the spring down incorrectly can cause the clock to rapidly disintegrate. Mike has successfully let down the spring, rebuilt the movement and currently keeps the clock in his wife’s sewing room for some reason. It is kept away from where his wife sits!

Thanks to Harry and Michael for these informative talks.

“A group of timepiece enthusiasts is gathering weekly in Mukwonago on Thursday evenings through April 11. The group consists mainly of former students of the defunct WCTC community extracurricular education program, and is seeking to expand its attendance with anyone who has an interest in learning about timepieces OR SHARING THEIR KNOWLEDGE. Currently, the meetings are BYOC (bring your own clock). As the attendees work on their timepieces, they share advice and opinions, troubleshoot and converse. If interested in attending, contact Kevin Schultz at usmc2nbpd@yahoo.com.”

Future educational talks planned:

  • March 10 – Danno will make a Presentation on Renaissance and other Clocks at the Milwaukee Art Museum.
  • May 19 – Craig White will make a presentation “Restoring a Scottish Musical Tall Case Clock”
  • Sept 22 – Amelia Osterud will give a talk entitled “Chauncey Jerome vs PT Barnum: The Great Bankruptcy of 1856”
  • Nov 17 – ?

We still need a volunteers for talks for 2024 & 2025.  Please contact Harry Schulz or myself with ideas or suggestions.  

Free tables!!  A free silent auction table will also be available.  We had some more clocks donated which the chapter will be selling at the silent auction table.

Hope to see you all there.
Thanks,
Craig

  1. Sunday February 11th is our next mart Comments Off on Sunday February 11th is our next mart
  2. Our next Mart is Sunday February 11th, 2024 Comments Off on Our next Mart is Sunday February 11th, 2024
  3. Our next mart is November 12th. Comments Off on Our next mart is November 12th.
  4. Our next mart is September 17th Comments Off on Our next mart is September 17th
  5. Our next MART is May 21st, Doors open a 9:00am for setup. Comments Off on Our next MART is May 21st, Doors open a 9:00am for setup.
  6. February 26th MART, New Location, New Time. Comments Off on February 26th MART, New Location, New Time.
  7. January 8th is the next mart Comments Off on January 8th is the next mart
  8. Our Next Mart is November 13th Comments Off on Our Next Mart is November 13th
  9. Next Mart is September 25th Comments Off on Next Mart is September 25th