Along with the ornate detail of the clock, its case and its pedestal, we must make note of the slogan,
Live Better Electrically, on each of the clock's faces. This slogan had its origin in a multimillion dollar campaign launched jointly by General Electric and Westinghouse in the mid 1950s. Make no mistake, the program was created solely to increase the profits of each, who were selling not only electric appliances to the consumer, but the generation equipment to the utility companies. A win - win situation if ever we saw one.
In any event, along with the peeling of the painted numerals on the clock, we feel that this clock must have been placed in the 1950s. We can't say with any certainty that it was placed at this location at that time, but it could well have been. It is a gorgeous clock, certainly one of the nicest and most beautifully embellished town clocks we've found to date.
The clock stands on the north corner of the intersection of Second Avenue (AKA Highway 215) and Oak Street, in front of the historic 1919 Baines Building, originally the home of the Commercial Bank. When we visited the time indicated on the clock was within four minutes of that on the EXIF stamp on our photos.
Live Better Electrically: The Gold Medallion Electric Home Campaign
One of the most effective mass marketing home campaigns of all time was the “Live Better Electrically” (LBE) program of the post-World War II era. It began in the mid 1950s when the General Electric (GE) and Westinghouse corporations decided to co-sponsor a multi-million dollar nationwide campaign to promote the sales of electric appliances and to tout the benefits of electric power. General Electric provided the main support for the program, which launched in March of 1956.
At the time, utility companies were rushing to meet the increased demand for electricity in postwar America. However, as more power plants came on line the cost of electricity decreased. To increase company profits, homeowners were encouraged to consume more power through the purchase of a variety of electric products. For GE and Westinghouse, the creation of a new market for electric heat also promised to increase company profits. Additionally, the two corporations not only sold residential electric heating units and a variety of household appliances, but they also sold electrical generating equipment to utility companies nationwide.
Supported nationwide by 900+ electric utilities and 180 electricity manufacturers, the electricity industry launched the LBE campaign through a variety of media outlets. The initial launch came with the offer to send a free 70+ page brochure to homeowners which told them how their lives could be enriched by the use of electricity and purchase of electric appliances.
From the Department of Archaeology & Historic Preservation![]()