ST. ALBANS, Vt. (WCAX) – The clock is ticking to save a historic clock tower in Saint Albans.
For over a decade, Greg Beeman has hiked 87 steps in snow and rain to keep the First Congregational Church of St. Albans’ clock tower running. “You don’t want to disappoint,” Beeman shrugged. “I mean, you hope that everything is working properly and you do the best that you can, keep your fingers crossed sometimes.”
The clock tower has chimed on Church St. for 130 years, once even alerting residents to fires. But crossed fingers aren’t cutting it anymore. Bricks are crumbling, glass is cracking, wood is rotting and gears are out of whack, leaving the city time-less for three months this winter.
In a race against time, the church launched a “Save the Clock Tower” campaign, even constructing a Back to the Future-inspired DeLorean go-kart. And they are hoping for a Hollywood ending, needing $250,000 to bring the tower up to speed. The alternative is too much for Beeman to imagine. “Just disappointment and failure in that we weren’t able to save it in time,” Beeman explained. “And that we couldn’t bring the resources together to be able to do it and prevent that.”
Down below, Reverend Jessica Moore prepared for a Sunday service. It’ll draw a crowd, many residents who have known the church and its tower for decades. “This church is so much a part of St. Albans, Moore said. “Even for people who don’t go here, you know, they may have been baptized here or their family went here.”
Moore believes fixing up the clock tower is essential to help St. Albans’ downtown thrive. “It’s a real value economically, I think to the viability of St. Albans as this beautiful town with the shops and this beautiful backdrop,” Moore said. She hopes the community sees the tower’s value before it’s too late. “I think it will just be a loss of something that’s, you know, beautiful and iconic.”
Beeman can’t fathom a future without the tower. “The church isn’t the church without the clock tower. The clock tower isn’t the clock tower without the church. So, you know, it’s a relationship,” Beeman shrugged.
The church says they need the funds within the year or so to save the tower.