Why Has The Old Central School Clock Tower Been Silent?

For over 125 years the clock tower at Old Central School has chimed every top of the hour. Last Friday the tower went silent and now we know why. 

The school was built in 1892 as a school. After a new Central school was built in 1971, the building turned into the school district's administrative offices. As I went out to lunch yesterday, I noticed the clock tower didn't go off on the hour.

After a call to Dave Spooner, the manager of facilities for Duluth Public Schools, I found out one of the clock's gears failed on Friday. Dave and his team took it apart and saw a gear needed to be replaced. Unfortunately 125 year old gears don't grow on trees, so they need to build a new one.

If all goes well, Dave hopes the clock tower will be in working order within six weeks. So if you're wondering why you're not hearing chimes downtown for the next few weeks, now you know.  Also, check out the video below to see what the clock tower looks like on the inside.