Valley Girl Views: Sunbury's Brown Street Clock

Have you seen this clock in Sunbury Pa?

It's a Brown Street Clock, they were made in Monessen Pa. The clocks were marketed as a promotional item for stores, to make the business stand out.

NOTE - In 2024, this clock was struck, and likely destroyed, by a motorist. It is no longer standing here.

The Brown Street Clock company went out of business before the Korean War, so most likely this one was originally advertising a business, and the VFW had a new top made for it. In an article in 2010, about possible repairs to the clock, it is mentioned that the clock dates back to the early 1900s.

In January of 1975 the clock was relocated from in front of the Armory building, which was to be razed in February 1975, to in front of the Post 201 building at 601 Market Street in Sunbury.

The Clock in a 1964 snowstorm

In this 1957 newspaper clipping, the clock can be seen in front of the Armory building. The former Armory was located right next to the current Legion building. It was torn down in 1975, the area is now a parking lot.

I "Think" this photo is from the 1946 flood, but I need to go back and double check that.

Below is a cropped view, but the clock can be seen on the left hand side, in front of the Armory building.

Here's a cropped view of the photo above. The clock can be seen on the left hand side of the street, in the middle of the photo.

In this photo of the armory, the clock cannot be seen.

My best guess - and it's only a guess - is that this photo was taken right before the demolition of the building, and that the clock had already been removed in preparation.

Here's a much older postcard showing the Armory - and no clock.

Two possibilities - this photo was taken before the clock came to Sunbury, or, what I think is more likely, the clock was not originally located here, but rather moved here at a later date. Remember, Brown Street Clocks were typically advertisement pieces, placed outside of stores.

The Armory building in Market Street in Sunbury was built in 1893. It served as the training site for Company E, 12th Regiment of the National Guard, which was called into federal service on the Mexican border in 1916. During World War I, Troope E. becasme Trook 1/8 First Pennsylvania Calvary. After the war, Troop E 103rd trained in the building. After World War I, the building was sold to American Legion Post 201.

The building was damaged in the 1936 flood. The rear section, including auditorium, had to be razed. The CCC rebuilt part of the structure, which became the Legions social Hall. In 1953, the Legion moved out of the building, and into their new headquarters next door.

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In the flood of 1936, "A big clock on the sidewalk in front of a jewelry store was stopped at exactly 10:00. That was the time the water broke through the dyke at the converting works and flooded the city.". I think, although I do not know, that this is most likely the Brown Street Clock.

This is Troop I, which would have trained at the Armory Building, leaving for Camp in 1914.

Look to the left, near the end of the group of men, and there's the clock. Is it the same clock? Again, I can't prove it is - not yet - but most likely it is.