Gap Town Clock To Hold 150th Anniversary Celebration

The Gap Town Clock Association is preparing to celebrate an important milestone. "The last celebration was when the clock tower was 100 years old in 1992," recalled Kathy Stern, secretary/treasurer for the association. Kathy explained that the clock dates back to 1872, but the 65-foot tower that holds the clock was built in 1892. "The tower is 130 years old, but the clock is 150 years old," she said.

To mark the occasion, the association will hold a celebration at the tower, which is located at the intersection of Route 41 and Bridge Street in Gap, on Sunday, Oct. 9, from 1 to 5 p.m. Rep. Bryan Cutler will send a proclamation in recognition of the event. Light beverages and snacks will be served.

Kathy will have a membership table set up at the event. A nominal charge is required to become a member of the association, which works to maintain the clock and tower. Kathy will also sell salmon-colored mugs with a picture of the tower on one side and notations about the age of the clock and the tower on the other side. Kathy's husband, Gary, known for his artistic renditions of local buildings, has completed a print of the clock, copies of which will also be available for purchase at the celebration.

The clock was originally located on Penn Monument Hall (now home to the Town Clock Cheese Shoppe), located across Bridge Street from the clock. The brick building was named Penn Monument Hall because William Penn had made a historic visit to the area. Fifteen years after the clock was placed, the building was taken over by the sheriff. Concerned townspeople removed the clock from the building and hid it in a nearby ice house. In 1892, the clock was placed in the tower, but the location was threatened in 1953 when the clock tower appeared to be doomed by the widening of Route 41. Area citizens banded together to save the clock, and the Gap Town Clock Association was formed. The association was able to have the tower moved 75 feet to its present location.

Area resident Violet Baker was recognized for her efforts as a champion of the clock for many years. A plaque on the side of the tower, placed on Jan. 20, 2008, recognized Baker for her lifetime commitment to the Gap community and for her tireless effort in the preservation of the Gap Town Clock for more than half a century.

More information about the association may be found by searching for "Gap Town Clock" on Facebook, emailing kannstern@yahoo.com, or calling 484-340-0116.