Capitol buildings are almost always an imposing sight. They are the seat of government and tend to be elegant and stately – and are often topped by a dome.
Visitors to the Pennsylvania Capitol are drawn to the priceless works of art, polished marble and intricate carvings, but hidden behind the doors of some of the most ornate offices and rooms lies another treasure: hundreds of antique clocks that were part of the original design.
Among the 273 working bells are many that are integrated into mantelpieces and other building elements.
They are not low-maintenance and require regular oiling and occasional mechanical overhaul.
And every week, in a throwback to the time before wristwatches and cell phones, clock winders roam the halls – keeping the more than century-old timekeepers ticking.
On a recent morning, Bethany Gill demonstrated how it’s done: going from room to room with a series of ladders and custom-made tools. She opens the glass covers, turns the mechanisms enough to keep them going for about a week, and checks their accuracy before moving on to the next one.
Gill is a former art student who works for Johnson & Griffiths Studio. This Harrisburg firm received a five-year, $526,000 contract extension from the Capitol Preservation Committee.
She is also a lifelong clock enthusiast who looks forward to the semi-annual transitions between Daylight Savings Time and Eastern Standard Time.
Why?
“My father was a clock collector growing up,” Gill said. “And every Sunday we would go around the house and wind the bells. And that was always just a fun thing to do with my dad.”
The Pennsylvania Capitol was designed by architect Joseph M. Huston, who won the 1901 design competition with a vision for a temple of democracy – an art palace that would be as luxurious as anything found in Europe at the time.
Among countless other fine details, Huston designed at least 180 custom clock cases, including smaller so-called keystone clocks shaped to remind people of Pennsylvania’s early and crucial role in the formation of the United States, earning it the nickname Keystone. Stands.
“The bells are just part of the reason why the building is so unique and so complicated,” said Jason Wilson, historian for the Capitol Preservation Committee. “The mantels surrounding the bells are all custom designed.”
Occasionally, the bells, most of them 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 walk better if they stay injured.
Huston, the architect, achieved his goal. The Capitol is a showpiece that draws thousands of visitors every year to where 253 state lawmakers meet to debate and pass legislation.
Although the buildings and bells are his lasting legacy, Huston was convicted of conspiracy to defraud the state during the Capitol construction project and spent several months in another Pennsylvania landmark, the Eastern State Penitentiary in Philadelphia.
