Park County Courthouse - Cody, WY
Posted by: Groundspeak Premium Member T0SHEA
N 44° 31.538 W 109° 04.026
12T E 653593 N 4932072
Now both an old and a new courthouse, the original Park County Courthouse was completed in December of 1913 and an addition was completed in 1983.
Waymark Code: WM10AEW
Location: Wyoming, United States
Date Posted: 04/01/2019
Published By:Groundspeak Premium Member Outspoken1
Views: 1

While Wyoming became a state in 1890, it was not until 1909 that Park County was established and was not organized until 1911. Cody was chosen as the county seat in 1909 and county offices were established in a brick building, the Spencer Building, on Rumsey Avenue. These offices were too small from the outset, prompting officials to petition for a proper courthouse. Citizens were unhappy with the floating of a $45,000 bond issue to pay for a new courthouse, but were assured that their new courthouse would very likely cost less than that amount. When completed in 1912 it actually had cost $55,000. Part of that cost, $1017, was expended on a town clock, complete with 500 pound bell, mounted in a copper domed cupola atop the building. That $1017, though, was donated by one Mr. W.R. (William Robertson) Coe, businessman and philanthropist born in Kingswinford, Staffordshire, England.

Thea $1017, in retrospect, seems a good investment, as the town got a really nice clock for its money, a four faced clock with four foot faces, Roman numeral numbers and, inside the clock cupola, a 500 pound copper bell which sounds the hours. Below is a news article on the donation of the clock, including some of the clock's specifications, as outlined by the manufacturer, the Seth Thomas Clock Company of Chicago.
PARK COUNTY RECEIVES AN EARLY AND VALUABLE X-MAS PRESENT
Park County Enterprise | November 23, 1912, page 1
That the town of Cody is to have a clock for the new Park County Courthouse is now an assured fact, and it is through the kindness of Mr. W.R. Coe that this is made possible.

Hon. George T. Beck of this city is in receipt of a letter from Mr. Coe in which he says that it will be a great pleasure and privilege for him to give to the city of Cody a clock for the court house, because he has become deeply interested in the welfare of Wyoming, and especially in our little town.

In the very few suggestions that Mr. Coe makes in regard to the clock, he thinks it would be wise to have it lighted at night by electricity, and that an arrangement be made with the Western Union to furnish standard daily time, which he believes they would do for a very small fee.

These two are wise suggestions, for if the city is to have a town clock, many people will wish to know the time at night as well as in day time, and further, if we do have time, we want it to be correct time. That the people of Cody and the county appreciate this gift of Mr. Coe's can and will be shown by acceding to, and carrying out his suggestions.

Specifications of the Clock
A letter to Secretary Otto Koenig of the Cody Club from the Seth Thomas Clock Company of Chicago give the following specifications, the installing to cost $235.00 and the clock Itself $782.00, total of $1017, all of which is to be defrayed by Mr. Coe in the event that the clock is accepted.

The clock furnished at this price will be one of the hour and a half striking tower clocks (or hour if desired), arranged for and with four four-foot, sectional iron and glass dials, also a 500 pound pure bell metal bell. The clock is warranted for five years, free from original defects and to run within one minute a month if properly cared for.

The bell is seventy eight parts New Lake Superior Copper, and twenty two parts East India Block Tin, and warranted not to fracture under a period of fifteen years under ordinary usage.

A clock in the court house cupola is going to add much to the attractiveness of the completed building, and it is conceded by all that it will be most convenient to the people of the town and visitors within her gates.

The face of the clock will stand about seventy feet above the surface of the ground and, at this height, could be seen for a long distance.
From Park County Enterprise
Status: Working

Display: Mounted

Year built: 04/15/1913

Web link to additional info: Not listed

Visit Instructions:
Photo of clock.
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