HARRISBURG, Pa. – Capitol buildings are almost always an imposing sight. As seats of government, they are usually elegant and stately – and often crowned with a dome.
Visitors to the Pennsylvania Capitol are drawn to its priceless works of art, polished marble and intricate carvings, but behind the doors of some of its most magnificent offices and chambers lies another treasure: hundreds of antique clocks that were part of the original design.
The 273 working clocks include many built into mantels and other building features.
They are not low maintenance and require regular oiling and occasional mechanical overhaul.
And every week, as a throwback to a time before wristwatches and cell phones, watch winders roam the halls and ensure that the timepieces, which are over 100 years old, continue to tick.
On a recent morning, Bethany Gill demonstrated how it's done – walking from room to room using a series of ladders and custom-made tools. She opens the glass covers, twists the mechanisms enough to keep them working for about a week, and checks their accuracy before moving on to the next.
Gill is a former art student who works for Johnson & Griffiths Studio, a Harrisburg firm that just received a five-year contract extension from the Capitol Preservation Committee for winding and maintenance work worth $526,000.
She is also a lifelong watch enthusiast who looks forward to the semi-annual transitions between Daylight Saving Time and Eastern Standard Time.
Why?
“My father was a watch collector as a child,” Gill said. “And every Sunday we went around the house and turned the clocks. And that was always a nice thing that I did with my father.”
The Pennsylvania Capitol was designed by architect Joseph M. Huston, who won the 1901 design competition with a vision of a temple to democracy – a palace of art as chic as what could be found in Europe at the time.
Among countless other fine details, Huston designed at least 180 custom-made watch cases, including smaller so-called Keystone watches, the shape of which was intended to remind people of Pennsylvania's early and crucial role in the founding of the United States, earning it the nickname “Keystone” state.
“The clocks are just one of the reasons the building is so unique and intricate,” said Jason Wilson, historian for the Capitol Preservation Committee. “The mantels surrounding the clocks are all individually designed.”
From time to time, the clocks, most of which are made of mahogany or stained mahogany, are carefully removed from their places around the Capitol and taken to a facility for cleaning, maintenance and repair. They seem to run better when they're wound up.
Huston, the architect, achieved his goal. The Capitol is a showpiece that attracts thousands of visitors every year. This is where 253 state legislators meet to debate and pass laws.
While the buildings and clocks represent his lasting legacy, Huston was convicted of conspiring to defraud the state during the Capitol construction project and spent several months in another Pennsylvania landmark, the Eastern State Penitentiary in Philadelphia.