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05/01/2019 09:30 AMThe First Church of Christ in Saybrook (Congregational) recently completed repairs to its bell tower clock. Sean Kane, owner of About Time Restorations, LLC of Higganum made the repairs.
The church Board of Trustees said the congregation and town residents had expressed concern about when the repairs would be made so that they could once again rely upon the clock for the correct time.
Louis Bombaci, Jr., a trustee at First Church, is relieved to have the process behind him.
“Hopefully I will not be needed to go up into the bell tower to do pre-repair investigations for some time now. It was somewhat of a frightening experience to navigate the tower’s series of vertical ladders, ramps, and hatchways. The first ladder is a straight-up vertical climb of about 25 feet and in very tight quarters,” Bombaci said, adding, “Once up there, the view up and down Main Street and across the South Green is amazing.”
Several other repairs have been necessary over time. In 1853, the upper half of the original bell tower was removed and rebuilt after being damaged in a storm in 1851. The clock was given in memory of Richard N. Dowd in 1905. Its original mechanical clock mechanism, manufactured by E. Howard & Co. of Boston, is still in place although no longer used.
Originally the clock required someone to climb up the bell tower for weekly windings, but it is now electrified.
“The face, hands, and shafts to the hands are all original from 1905, so the clock may be a minute or two off as it is very difficult to set after many years of wear and tear,” Bombaci said.
For more information about First Church of Christ in Saybrook, 366 Main Street, call 860-388-3008, email info@firstchurchsaybrook.org, or visit www.firstchurchsaybrook.org.