Historic California Street Clock Set for Restoration
63Time is of the Essense for Historic Clock -- His Great-grandfather's clock is too big for a living room
Glenn Frank, a web designer and resident of Garden Grove, CA, has an album sprinkled with images of a massive four-sided street clock that was located at Buena Park's Knott's Berry Farm for more than fifty years.
A few months ago, Frank noticed that the family icon built by his great-grandfather, Andrew Dreger Sr., which had been the backdrop of memorable family photos, was no longer there.
You can find most anything on eBay.
An internet search provided a surprising result. The historic timepiece, built in the 1930's was for sale on an internet auction site. He began making inquiries and discovered that the Buena Park Historical Society, was interested in saving the clock, if funds could be raised.
The group purchased the clock and paid for storage, but is counting on private donors to provide additional funds to finance restoration and installation of the clock in the historic district of Buena Park, where several important structures and artifacts have been preserved by the Society. They hope to have it literally up and running within a few months.
It's not Big Ben, but it's pretty big.
Andrew Dreger Sr. lived in Long Beach, California when he built the clock with dials on various sides representing solar times in 12 international cities, as well as the month, day of the week and phases of the moon.
The predominant face represents the local hour and minutes in elegant Roman numerals on a frosted glass face.
Taking on the position of task force leader for the project, Frank has worked to get the word out to prospective donors .
The website he created to help publicize the project, www.Dregerclock.org, gives an extensive history of the clock, and tracks progress of the funding. It also has detailed photos that reveal the surprisingly simple inner workings of the timepiece.
Unlike traditional complex pendulum driven clockworks, the Dreger masterwork used a small electric motor to power and relatively simple mechanical components which included chain drives similar to the ones used for driving bicycle gears.
Dreger, as a young man, was known to have worked in a bicycle repair ship when his family sailed from Europe to Rio de Janeiro before they immigrated to the US over a hundred years ago.
For now the clock is hidden away in a dusty warehouse awaiting the day when it will be restored and again be admired by the public, as Andrew Dreger intended.
if you would like further information about this topic, check the website.
http://www.dregerclock.org
- Dreger Clock Restoration in Buena Park
The Buena Park Historical Society is restoring the Dreger Clock from Knott's Berry Farm. My great grandfather was the maker of the clock back in the 1930s.
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I love this story. In a world where so much is consdiered disposable, it is good that this treasure is being saved.
Thanks for the comments and suggestions-- I will add some additional information. BTW , I don't know how to make the the link clickable. I someone can tell me, i'll try to do it. Also, i didn't mention -- in an attemt at objectivity--that the builder was my grandfather. I'm very proud of my son for heading up the effort to fund raise for the restoration. My mom would have been very proud of him, too.
My grandfather worked for years for Elgin Watch Company in Elgin, Illinois. Also, I had a friend when I was in the Air Force named Bruce Dreger, and he was from Garden Grove. I wonder if there is any family connection?
When I was a kid we often went to Knotts' Berry Farms on our famous family excursions to California - I still love their jams & jellies & preserves! - especially boisenberry!
I remember that clock - I have thing for beautiful clocks! Next time I see my mom I'll go through the family albums to see if the picture I begged, pleaded and cried for mom & dad take of me beneath that clock still exists.
Chef Jeff-- I know the clock committee (my son) would appreciate passing along of the link to anyone who might be a "clock fan".
I was wondering how long it would take you to find this. Thanks for the fan mail. Now, write something about photography.
Yes, Mother.
:-)
The Buena Park Historical Society's Board reviewed the restoration bid from "The Clock Man" - at their meeting on August 11, 2008 and approved them to begin the restoration work on the Dreger Clock! Plans are being made to move the Dreger Clock from storage to Matt Fitch's shop where work can begin! We are excited to get to this step in the project and work with Matt on this project.
It has been while-- but plans are being approved, and the goal is in sight. The Big Clock is being restored and the clock should be on public display within the next few months.
A tentative date for the dedication is set for Oct.9 2009.
Check the website link near the bottom of the article for up-to date information. (If you live in the area come by and maybe get your face on TV.)
Ooops-- that should be Oct. 3, 2009.
Yep October 3 is the official Dedication event. A flier with event information can be downloaded from the dregerclock.org website now.
There are some photos of the installed clock at its new home here:
http://www.dregerclock.org/index.php
It was a long couple of years with a lot of work done by many people, especially my son Glenn. His great-grandpa would have been proud and grateful. I am, too.
How wonderful that they are going to restore that beautiful old clock!
Thanks, moonvine. It is done-- the official dedication was in October. It looks just beautiful!
Rochelle - maybe you should do a Hub about the official dedication? That would make a great conclusion to a fascinating story - how your son did the restoration and how the dedication went.
Love and peace
Tony
Rochelle, thankyou for putting me onto that. It is indeed a fabulous clock, and one that I would travel to see. I'll have a look at the website you mention when I've left my comments.
I appreciate your appreciation, gramarye. My mom tried for half her life to get her father's name put on the clock. It happened, thanks to my son's efforts. Thanks, Glenn.
Yes, I need to do that, Tony. Thanks.
solarshingles 4 years ago
What a wonderful hub Rochelle! Maybe, I miss a few numbers on this hub about the value of such a great project in money terms. Also, try to make links as links, if it's possible, that we could just click on them and be redirected to your suggested Internet destination (link). Rochelle, I like to read your hubs, because a great wisdom and life experience is present in every one of them.