Gap Clock Tower - Gap, PA
N 39° 59.124 W 076° 01.956
18S E 411837 N 4426647
Just off the Lincoln Highway, in a town that doesn't show up as a town at all on the net, stands a terrific roadside attractions that has no real mention internet as well. One of eastern PAs best kept secrets, welcome to the Gap Clock/Bell Tower.
Waymark Code: WMDEDP
Location: Pennsylvania, United States
Date Posted: 01/02/2012
Views: 10
Located in the town of Gap in Lancaster County stands this magnificent Clock Tower. Tours of the tower can be arranged through the Clock Tower Association. Unfortunately, when I visited, it was a Monday holiday so no one was there and I was not afforded the spectacular views of which I have so often heard. The clock tower was built in 1892, and restored in 1953 (according to the historical marker) in the town where William Penn once owned 200 acres of land. The cock has four faces and the most wonderful, quaint bell tower at the top. There is room to walk about up there and I'd wager it is possible to climb the stairs and look around. There is no available information about the specifics of the clock but I'd wager it is about 40 feet or so tall.
The clock has white, Roman numerals, four square sides with decorative blue, wood trim on all four corners with the round, black clock faces inside each square. The bottom of each sqaure side has a blue cornice, all arond. The clock was accurate to the minute when I visited. Beneath this is the tower with interesting white, fish scale shingles at the top giving way to rectangular shingles to the bottom. The clock has spot lights all around. Above the clock is the bell tower, open, railings on all sides for looking out at the town. The bell is hoisted just above the floor. The tower - observation area is topped with a white pyramidal roof with a sharp finial at the top and a little orb midway to the top.
The historical marker reads:
THE GAP CLOCK TOWER
Unique on American Highways, was
erected by the people of Gap in 1892.
It was restored in 1953. The clock's
face, long telling the time to
passing multitudes on the Newport
Road, Overlooks, at the Gap,
William Penn's Entrance into Conestoga,
Now Lancaster County, in 1701.
The Gap Clock Tower Association
The clock is also a Lancaster County Historic Preservation Trust Site as evidenced by the historical marker on the 'front' where the door is located (to the left of it) which reads: Historic Preservation Trust Site #66 - Lancaster County.