Rockwell Automation Headquarters and Allen-Bradley Clock Tower facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Allen-Bradley Building |
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| General information | |
| Architectural style | International Style |
| Town or city | Milwaukee, Wisconsin |
| Country | United States of America |
| Completed | 1962 |
| Client | Allen-Bradley |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Fitzhugh Scott |
The Rockwell Automation Headquarters is a big office building in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It's famous because it used to have the largest four-faced clock on Earth! This building was completed in 1962.
Contents
The Giant Clock Tower
A Landmark's Story
The Allen-Bradley Clock Tower is a well-known landmark in Milwaukee. It belongs to Allen-Bradley, a brand of Rockwell Automation. For many years, this clock tower held a special record.
According to the Guinness Book of World Records, it once had the "largest four-faced clock." Each of its four clock faces is huge, measuring about 40 feet (12.2 meters) across. They are shaped like an octagon, which is an eight-sided shape. This shape matches the logo of Allen-Bradley.
The clock tower was officially opened on October 31, 1962. It stands about 280 feet (85 meters) tall above the streets of Milwaukee. It needs a lot of electricity, about 34.6 kilowatts, to power its lights and make it work. While it was once the biggest, its record was later broken by the even larger clock faces of the Abraj Al Bait in Saudi Arabia.
How the Clock Tower Was Planned
The idea for this amazing clock tower started way back in 1959. Early drawings for a new building addition showed plans for several towers. Only one of these towers was meant to hold a clock. However, the plans were changed, and a smaller tower on an existing building was kept. This smaller tower was updated to show the outdoor temperature using a large digital display.
The person most interested in building the clock tower was Harry Bradley. He was one of the two brothers who started the company. Harry Bradley was an inventor who loved tinkering with things, including the clocks he owned.
A Guiding Light
For many years, the bright lights of the Clock Tower helped sailors on Lake Michigan. It acted like a navigation aid, guiding them at night. However, there was a time when the clock went dark. This happened during the 1973 oil crisis, when the clock was unlit from November 1973 to June 1974 to save energy.
The clock tower also has a fun nickname: "the Polish Moon." This is because of its large, bright white faces and its location. It's in a part of Milwaukee's southside that was settled by many Polish immigrants in the 20th century.
Clock's Impressive Size
The current clock tower reaches a height of 280 feet (85 meters). Its octagonal faces are almost twice as big as the faces of London's famous Big Ben. The designers decided not to add chimes to the Allen-Bradley clock. This was done so that Big Ben could keep its title as the largest four-faced chiming clock in the world. However, the clock at Minneapolis City Hall has actually held that title since 1909.
Let's look at the clock's parts:
- Each hour hand is about 15.8 feet (4.8 meters) long.
- Each hour hand weighs around 490 pounds (222 kilograms).
- Each minute hand is about 20 feet (6.1 meters) long.
- Each minute hand weighs around 550 pounds (249 kilograms).
- The markings for each hour are 4 feet (1.2 meters) high.
The Clock Tower in Pop Culture
The tower has even appeared in popular culture!
- In 2004, the clock tower was shown on the NASCAR Busch Series race car of Mike Bliss. This was to celebrate 100 years of Rockwell Automation and Allen-Bradley working together. The car was black with gold details, and the clock tower was painted near the wheel.
- In an episode of the Apple TV series Ted Lasso, the main character mentions spending time alone at the clock tower.
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