The Hertzberg Clock - San Antonio, TX - Town Clocks on Waymarking.com

The Hertzberg Clock has been a San Antonio landmark since being installed along the sidewalks of downtown San Antonio. Its old fashioned charm and accurate time keep it as a favorite icon of the people who work in or visit the downtown area. It is located prominently on the corner of St. Mary’s and Houston Streets, which is still the location of the banking and entertainment districts.
There are three informational plaques associated with or on the clock. One is a grand sized bronze plaque designed line a clock face showing the hour marks around the circular plaque. In the center of this marker is a long text giving the history of this clock’s ownership and stating significant dates involved in its history. A much smaller bronze plaque is mounted on the clock stand that states the clock was gifted to the San Antonio Conservation Society to preserve and maintain. Lastly, a very small bronze plaque states the name of the foundry where the clock’s case and inner workings was cast and created. The inscriptions of each of these plaques are written below.

The large bronze clock face marker that is where the coordinates were taken. It is about 4 feet in diameter and is mounted in the sidewalk in front of the clock. The center of the plaque reads:
“The Hertzberg Clock
Has been the 'official' timepiece for generations of San Antonians since it was installed in front of Eli Hertzberg Jewelry Company on Commerce Street in 1878.
Cast in iron by E. Howard Company of Boston and operating through a system of weights, it is unique among post clocks in continuing to be hand-wound rather than electrified.
Eli and Anna Goodman Hertzberg’s son, Harry, became co-owners of the store with Mrs. Hertzberg’s brother, Max Goodman, in 1908. Two years later the company and clock were moved to the corner of St. Mary’s and Houston Streets which became the center of the commercial and entertainment district. Citizens and visitors used the clock as a meeting place and the site of impromptu New Year’s Eve celebrations.
Hertzberg’s Jewelers was purchased in 1964 by Zales Corporation which moved the store to a suburban location in 1979.
In 1982 Mrs. Thomas C. (Maxine Goodman) Bordelon and Mrs. Jesse B. (Jennita Goodman) Poston, gave the family-owned clock to the San Antonio Conservation Society in memory of their parents, Max and Nell Pereida Goodman, who worked in and loved downtown San Antonio. Mr. Goodman served as president of Hertzberg’s Jewelers from 1908-31; Mrs. Goodman from 1940-64.”
Around the circular edge of the large bronze clock face marker is written:
“The Hertzberg Clock
The Hertzberg Clock was restored for the Conservation Society by Republicbank San Antonio in 1985. John J. Duff, master watchmaker and clockmaker, London Watch and Clock Company; and Kurt, Ted, and Al Voss, Kurt Voss Metals, Inc. donated their time and expertise to the restoration.”

On the clock itself are two much smaller plaques. The larger of the two mounted plaques reads:
“The Hertzberg Clock
Donated to the San Antonio Conservation Society in 1982 by Maxine Goodman Bordelon and Jennita Goodman Postman in loving memory of their parents, Max and Nell Pereida Goodman.”
and the smaller of the two plaques simply reads:
“E. Howard & Co., Boston, Mass.”

Status: Working Display: Free Standing Year built: 01/01/1878 Web link to additional info: Not listed

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Photo of clock.

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Date Logged Log User Rating   06/19/2023 stevepre2 visited it 05/15/2023 iluvfire visited it 02/23/2018 WalksfarTX visited it 12/28/2016 Sissyta visited it 03/14/2016 daleoffret visited it 01/08/2012 WayBetterFinder visited it

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