Beale Memorial Clock Tower facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Beale Memorial Clock Tower |
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Beale Memorial Clock Tower
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| Location | Bakersfield, California |
| Built | April 4, 1904 |
| Built for | Memorial to Mary Edwards Beale |
| Demolished | 1952 |
| Rebuilt | December 13, 1964 |
| Architect | Clinton Day |
| Governing body | County of Kern |
The Beale Memorial Clock Tower is a famous clock tower in Bakersfield, California. It was a special gift to the city. A man named Truxtun Beale had it built to remember his mother, Mary Edwards Beale.
The tower was officially opened on April 4, 1904. It stood right in the middle of a busy intersection at 17th Street and Chester Avenue. Truxtun Beale got the idea for the tower when he was an ambassador in Spain. He saw a beautiful clock tower there and wanted one for Bakersfield. He hired an architect named Clinton Day to design it.
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The Clock Tower's Early Challenges
A Close Call with the Railway
In 1910, the Bakersfield and Kern Electric Railway wanted to make their train tracks bigger. They planned to add a second track on the South Chester Line. The problem was, the Beale Clock Tower was right in the way of these new tracks!
On January 22, 1912, the Bakersfield City Council voted to take down the clock tower. But the people of Bakersfield, and Truxtun Beale himself, were very upset. The tower had only been built eight years earlier. Because of their protests, the city decided to leave the tower. The train tracks were built around it instead. This made the space narrow and caused traffic issues later on. But at the time, everyone was happy to drive around it.
The Earthquake's Impact
The clock tower stood tall for many years. But in July and August of 1952, a series of strong earthquakes hit the area. This was called the 1952 Kern County earthquake. The clock tower was badly damaged by the shaking.
After the earthquake, the city council voted again to tear it down. This time, the damage was too severe. Most of the tower was removed. However, some important parts were saved. These included the clock's inner workings, the bell, a spiral iron staircase, the balcony railings, and some fancy iron grillwork.
A New Beginning for the Tower
In 1961, a group of local citizens decided they wanted to rebuild the clock tower. They worked hard to make it happen. The new clock tower would not be in its original spot. Instead, it was built in front of the Kern County Museum on Chester Avenue. This new location was about 1.25 miles north of where it first stood.
The rebuilt Beale Memorial Clock Tower was officially opened on December 13, 1964. It was dedicated to Kern County. Today, it stands as a reminder of Bakersfield's history and the community's spirit.
