Before examining the clock in Bernardsville, located across from the train station, we must first take a look at the history of the historic and beautiful Bernardsville National Bank building, situated at the corner of Mine Brook and Claremont Road.
The building that initially housed the Bernardsville National Bank, later renamed the Somerset Hills National Bank, changed hands several times over the years. After merging with County Bank & Trust Co. in 1969, it became part of Somerset Hills & County National Bank. It merged again in 1976 to form First National Bank of West Jersey, which later became First Fidelity Bank of West Jersey in the 1980s. That institution was later absorbed into larger banking groups, and the last tenant of the old bank building was the Wells Fargo Bank.
1948 – Bank Installs Outdoor Clock
Four-Faced Timepiece to Chime Quarter-Hours for Bernardsville. Instrument Weighs Half a Ton.
In December 1948, workmen installed an outdoor clock on the Bernardsville National Bank Building at the corner of Mine Brook Road and Claremont Road. When installed, the clock was the only outdoor clock between Somerville and Morristown.
Controlled electrically by a master clock inside the bank, the clock was installed so that it would be visible from four directions: from both ends of Mine Brook Road, from Claremont Road, and the entrance to the Bernardsville railroad station.
Loomis was from 1908 – 1917, and O.B. was from 1918 – 1949.
The Bernardsville timepiece is an Albany design of the O. B. McClintock Clock Company of Minneapolis, Minnesota. Its four faces illuminate at night, showcasing the beautiful stained glass in the lower area. The “Albany” design refers to a specific street-clock style originally produced by the Seth Thomas Clock Company under contract for the McClintock‑Loomis firm, later adopted by the O.B. McClintock Company. The model name likely originates from a model named after Albany, NY, reflecting either its debut installation location or a popular design variation of that region. Westminster chimes would play when the clock struck the quarter hour. Westminster chimes are one of the most recognized in the world, played also by Big Ben in London.
The Albany design of the McClintock Clock refers to a specific style of street clock produced by the Seth Thomas Clock Company for McClintock-Loomis, a major manufacturer and distributor of sidewalk clocks in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. McClintock-Loomis Company, based in Chicago, distributed these clocks across the U.S., often branding them as “McClintock” clocks. They used movements made by Seth Thomas or E. Howard and Co. The Albany model was marketed to jewelry stores, financial institutions, and railroad stations, intended as a combination of advertising and public service.
In 1948, Ralph W. Earl, bank president of the Bernardsville National Bank, stated that the bank had considered erecting the clock for the past year and that the final decision was made due to the service it would provide to shoppers and commuters. “More people pass our corner than pass any other place in town. We hope that it will encourage more people to shop in Bernardsville.”
“Take a person who is trying to catch a train. He might notice by our clock that he has a 20-minute wait before his train comes in. We hope he will use the time to shop here instead of in New York.”
Ralph W. Earl, Bernardsville National Bank president in 1948
The chimes and face illumination operated from 7:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. Mr. Earl said that the installation work took two days and that a special technician had been brought in from New York to do the job. The technician, standing outside the bank surrounded by a maze of wires, angle irons, and tools, said that the clock weighs half a ton.
Clock Right Twice a Day
Like all outdoor timepieces, they eventually stop due to weather, wear and tear, or a malfunctioning part. And this is the dilemma that the bank clock continued to have – it would break and wouldn’t be fixed. Honestly, you’d think that a defunct clock would be bad for business and would be fixed immediately, right? I mean, you are a bank! First Union National Bank (Charlotte, NC) officially became Wachovia Bank, National Association, following the 2001 merger between First Union and Wachovia. Then, in, Wachovia Bank, based in Charlotte, N.C., took over the building, where the clock had remained non-functional for over a decade.
Many of you may be familiar with the history of the Neils and their connections to Bernardsville. Well, one of the Neils moved to Charlotte, NC, the home of Wachovia Bank. Bernardsville native and Charlotte resident Susan Neill Boyer contacted the Wachovia CEO and asked him to fix the clock, and, wonders of wonders, it was fixed.
2011 – Clock Stops Again
Originally weight-driven or key-wound, many Albany model clocks were later converted to electric movement or retrofitted with synchronous motors. Our research continues, and we then find a letter from Peter Palmer, a longtime Bernardsville resident, who wrote a Letter to the Editor in the Bville News on February 18, 2011, stating that the Wells Fargo clock had stopped working once again. I personally know there was an effort to repair the clock again as it was discussed when I was a trustee at the historical society.
In yet another Letter to the Bernardville News, this time in April 2011, Bville resident Mark Thompson wrote to Mr. Peter Ameen, the president of Wells Fargo Community Bank for Northwest New Jersey. Ameen wrote back to Thompson and assured him that they also view the clock as a historic fixture in Bernardsville and were trying to repair it. He reminded the public that it was fixed a few years ago, and at that time, they found that the clock was quite old, weathered, and challenging to find parts for. Thank you, Mark Thompson, for caring enough to take the torch and running with it! And again, they fixed it!
Clock’s Future
Fast forward to 2025 and we stopped by to check the time, and YES, the clock is WORKING! A great story that the residents should be thankful to our respectful local businesses. They care as well!
Once again, there’s a change at the corner of Mine Brook and Claremont Road. In 2024, Wells Fargo Bank relocated to the Bernardsville Shopping Center, across the street from ShopRite, and put its building up for sale. They did the same in Basking Ridge at the corner of South Finley and Henry Street. With the building up for sale, a question was raised about the future of the famous historic 75-year-old icon.
No one knows the future of the property, but it’s an important question to ask about what has been a timeless timepiece in the Bernardsville landscape and who will be next to keep it running. A final thought…..these clocks are highly collectible and sometimes listed on the National Register of Historic Places as contributing elements in historic districts. (Hint Hint). The closest Albany-style McClintock sidewalk clock on the National Register of Historic Places to Bernardsville is located in New York City, specifically at 783 Fifth Avenue, right outside the Sherry‑Netherland Hotel on the corner of 59th Street and Fifth Avenue.
Not Alone Bernardsville – Welcome to Hood River, Oregon
Here are all known McClintock‑designed or McClintock‑style historic clocks in New Jersey:
- Freehold Corner Clock (on former bank) Freehold Borough, NJ, Historic McClintock corner street clock at Main St near Monmouth County Hall of Records (1 E Main St)
- Keyport Bank Clock Keyport, NJ, McClintock‑style bank clock on the former Wells Fargo building at 2 E Front St
- Monmouth County Hall of Records Tower Clock – Freehold Borough, NJ, Tower clock atop the Hall of Records building at 1 E Main St
- Union Middle School Clock Rutherford, NJ, Restored historic clock at Union Middle School (Rutherford Public Schools) rutherfordschools.org
- Essex County College Clock – Newark, NJ, Restored public clock on the Essex County College campus, Newark.
- Glen Rock Municipal Building Clock – Glen Rock, NJ, Historic municipal clock restored at Glen Rock Municipal Building
Special shout out to Rich Steinberg of Bernardsville Print Center and all those who came before him for sharing their thoughts on a beautiful yet small piece of Bernardsville history. It’s all we needed to dig in!
Sidebar:
2015: Same Bank, Different Town, Different Clock
What’s ironic is that there’s also a clock at what is now the former Wells Fargo bank in downtown Basking Ridge that went thru the same problem. Wells Fargo Bank in Basking Ridge, long before it was First Fidelity, First Union, and Wachovia, was the Union Hotel, which stood on the opposite side of the street from The Washington House.
The clock above the former Wells Fargo Bank in downtown Basking Ridge had not worked for as long as resident Paula Axt has lived in Basking Ridge, which is 30 years. She wrote a Letter to the newspaper in 2015 to publicly thank Elena Ristov and everyone at Wells Fargo Bank for listening to the request to repair the clock and for successfully restoring the clock above the bank.
#bernardsvilleclock #wellsfargoclock #bvilleclock #bankclockbernardsville
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Bernardsville, New Jersey’s Historic Town Clock Details
- O.B. McClintock Clock Company
- Design: Albany
- Time Faces: Four / lighted
- Movements: Seth Thomas or E. Howard and Company
- Chime: Westminster on the quarter hour
- Options: Stained Glass (lighted)
- Weight: Approx 1,000 lbs. (453.6 kilograms)
- Installation Date: December 1948 (two day installation)
- Building Owner at time of installation: Bernardsville National Bank Building
- Ralph W. Earl, president of the Bernardsville National Bank, for 1948 installation
- Current Owner: Wells Fargo Bank
- Street Address: 47 Mine Brook Road (Route 202/Claremont Rd), Bernardsville, New Jersey
Notes:
- Albany design of the McClintock Clock of Albany, New York. Its four faces illuminate at night, showcasing the beautiful stained glass. Westminster chimes would play when the clock struck the quarter hour. Westminster chimes are one of the most recognized in the world.
- Controlled electrically by a master clock inside the bank, the clock was installed so that it would be visible from four directions: from both ends of Mine Brook Road, from Claremont Road, and the entrance to the Bernardsville railroad station.
- Looking for repair records
- Looking for other similar clocks that are still operational.
| Resource | What It Offers | Link |
| YouTube: The History of McClintock Clocks | Overview of the McClintock-Loomis Company and O. B. McClintock Co., timeline from 1908–1949, types of clocks, company background | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_wF-r4nBZLU |
| Laurel of Asheville – Hendersonville Chime Clock | Case study of a restored McClintock Westminster chime clock installed in 1927, including mechanical/electronic changes and preservation effort | https://thelaurelofasheville.com/lifestyle/history-feature-turning-back-time/ |
| Upstate New York Clock Repair | Regional clock restoration and repair expert, familiar with street and tower clocks including McClintock types | https://upstatenewyorkclockrepair.com/ |
| 1stDibs – Rare O. B. McClintock Bank Clocks for Sale | High-resolution photos and sale listings of restored or preserved McClintock bank clocks, showcasing design and value | https://www.1stdibs.com/furniture/decorative-objects/clocks/wall-clocks/rare-ob-mcclintock-wall-bank-clock-c-1920/id-f_15360591/ |
| Electric Time Company (modern fabricator) | Contemporary maker of similar four-dial street clocks inspired by McClintock’s designs, often used in restoration | https://www.electrictime.com/product/4-dial-mcclintock-clock/ |
