CNB Clock History, All you ever wanted to know! Options

[johnlp]

From December 1957, I am pleased to share with you.......






This was found among my Grandfathers things that were in storage. There are interesting fact that I never knew.

Stay tuned, I will be....

• posting images of the clock under construction (while still on the ground)!

• Photo of the two Ft. Worth children selected to start the clocks rotation and illumination in 1957!

• Images from INSIDE the clock!

and hopefully more from the gang here!

I felt the clock is worthy of a thread of its own. John, feel free to move if needed!

Johnlp

[DrkLts]

WOW! I been looking for this kinda info. I doubt I could of found it on the web. Great post!

[Fort Worthology]

Wow - look at Landmark Tower. I've never seen a good clean photo of it with the clear glass before. It looks sooooooooooooo much better with clear glass. It almost looks kind of...well, not cool, and not pretty, but...I don't know. Just a BIG improvement over the tinted glass.

Does anybody know when the tinted glass was installed?

[grow_smart]

Wow - look at Landmark Tower. I've never seen a good clean photo of it with the clear glass before. It looks sooooooooooooo much better with clear glass. It almost looks kind of...well, not cool, and not pretty, but...I don't know. Just a BIG improvement over the tinted glass.

Does anybody know when the tinted glass was installed?

It was changed when either
( a ) the tenants inside were fried in a freak window prism heat ray incident
or
( b ) could no longer afford the ridiculous a/c bills

[johnlp]

As promised.....
these are a little large so be patient

Clock under construction (this was a shot on the ground...did they hoist the assembled skelaton up there???


Here is a shot from the INSIDE!


Worker on the roof of the CNB (hard to see good in the image)


First night photo of the CNB (before the clock was working).


Testing the clock


Starting the Clock 11-13-1957 at 2:00 pm CST (what is that...a scale model???)



Birds-eye view of the clock a few minutes after is was turned on!



They say a broken clock is right twice every 24 hours.......however..................


My hope is to get scans of the original photos. I am guessing that they are on file at UTA in the ST collection. Some of these clipping came from the FW Press.....

Enjoy!

[johnlp]

Here is an interesting fact. During the first Chritmas (1957) that the clock was in operation, the green CNB neon lights were turned off during the Christmas season.

During this time the upper floor office lights were selectivly left on to form the shape of an illuminated cross on the North and South sides of the building. (you can see this in some of Jack Whites images).

CNB President, George Thompson, Jr. felt it was wrong to have a corporation intials towering over a symbol of the cross.

WOW!

[DrkLts]

i get a kick out of seeing these pics! thanks

[johnlp]

Glad you like them!

I just found out the the clock was first fully assymbled on the ground at North Texas Steel Company at 412 W. Bolt. It was then disasymbled and reasymbled on the roff of the CNB.

40 TONS of steel beams were used.

Sad that it is but a memory now!

[Fort Worthology]

Wow - look at Landmark Tower. I've never seen a good clean photo of it with the clear glass before. It looks sooooooooooooo much better with clear glass. It almost looks kind of...well, not cool, and not pretty, but...I don't know. Just a BIG improvement over the tinted glass.

Does anybody know when the tinted glass was installed?

It was changed when either
( a ) the tenants inside were fried in a freak window prism heat ray incident
or
( b ) could no longer afford the ridiculous a/c bills

Hehehe - visions of bank employees checking their watches..."Say, Tom, it's 4:15 - time to duck! The heat beam's coming through!"

[Nitixope]

From December 1957, I am pleased to share with you.......

Great Post!!! Perfect timing for the big demo this month.

[1963Parade_of_Ho...]

What's the big demo coming this month?

Jim
1963 Parade of Homes house.

[1963Parade_of_Ho...]

So what is the history of this clock?

I'm not familiar enough with the history of dowtown architecture to know, how long was the CNB building there? Is it known by another name now? The clock is obviously gone.

How well did the clock work?

Jim
1963 Parade of Homes house.

[John T Roberts]

I think it worked pretty well until 1978 when it stopped revolving.

The big demo coming this month is the implosion of the building. The old Continental National Bank/Texas Building/Landmark Tower is scheduled to be demolished in about 13 seconds on Saturday, March 18th between 7 and 8 AM if everything goes as planned.

[johnlp]

So what is the history of this clock?

I'm not familiar enough with the history of dowtown architecture to know, how long was the CNB building there? Is it known by another name now? The clock is obviously gone.

How well did the clock work?

Jim
1963 Parade of Homes house.

The clock held many Guiness Book of World Records

In addition to all the info above, the clock made record book history by being named...
The largest rotating clock
The largest DIGITAL clock
The largest four sided sign

to those of us who have lived here long enogh to remember the CNB in its prime, it was on the tallest building in Ft. Worth at that time. You could see the clock for miles. Yes, much of the local lore comes from the novelty of the clock itself. My Great Grandmother lived in Dallas in a high rise condo (The Athena) which was at (approx) Preston and NW Hwy. From her 17th floor bedroom window (on a clear day) you could see the big revoling clock. From that distance you could not make the time out but with her binoculars you could read it. Her Grandson (my great uncle) worked on the 7th floor of the CNB. She always told me she felt close as long as she could see his building.

It was a a great icon of the city and it is sad that it could not have been preserved in some way like Dallas preserved the Pegasus on the Magnolia building.

[DrkLts]

I wish a replica of the clock would be made someday. I wouldn't know where it could go, but just on display somewhere in Fort Worth.

[seurto]

From December 1957, I am pleased to share with you.......

Great Post!!! Perfect timing for the big demo this month.

So, did we come up with any "implosion party" plans? My big project for that day has been delayed until April 8. I'd love to see it (the big blow)!

[hardcoregirl]

I know me and a few others are planning to be there....will be scouting possible locations to watch it from. I'll let you know! The weather may delay it though.

[Eric]

I wish a replica of the clock would be made someday. I wouldn't know where it could go, but just on display somewhere in Fort Worth.

This is late, I know, but there was a smaller CNB clock at the CNB motor bank or drive in banking center in downtown Fort Worth. It was located in the Calhoun and Jones street area if I remember correctly. The scaled down version rotated like the original.

I grew up in west Fort Worth and my parents banked at CNB.

We also saw the big clock every Sunday while driving to church on the Lancaster Street bridge/viaduct. Wednesdays too and when shopping downtown.

Thanks for allowing me to post at this terrific forum.

[John T Roberts]

Welcome to the Forum!

[vjackson]

Am I not remembering correctly. I was a teenager the last time I saw the clock lit. It wasn't green neon then was it?? I remember the lighting being white. And if the lighting was changed, when and why???

[bailey]

Am I not remembering correctly. I was a teenager the last time I saw the clock lit. It wasn't green neon then was it?? I remember the lighting being white. And if the lighting was changed, when and why???

The numbers on the clock were white and the CNB letters were green originally. When the bank moved out of the building, the sides of the clock with the CNB letters were covered over with a white banner that said Big E for Empire of America Savings Bank. Fixed spotlights were installed to light up the banner as the clock was no longer revolving.

[johnlp]

Am I not remembering correctly. I was a teenager the last time I saw the clock lit. It wasn't green neon then was it?? I remember the lighting being white. And if the lighting was changed, when and why???

The CNB Letter at night were Green Neon. The Letters themselves (CNB) were white. The green neon was snaked within the C and the N and the B. There are some pics on the forum showing this.

An example..


It does not show too well, but trust me...green all the way.

[johnlp]

I wish a replica of the clock would be made someday. I wouldn't know where it could go, but just on display somewhere in Fort Worth.

This is late, I know, but there was a smaller CNB clock at the CNB motor bank or drive in banking center in downtown Fort Worth. It was located in the Calhoun and Jones street area if I remember correctly. The scaled down version rotated like the original.

I grew up in west Fort Worth and my parents banked at CNB.

We also saw the big clock every Sunday while driving to church on the Lancaster Street bridge/viaduct. Wednesdays too and when shopping downtown.

Thanks for allowing me to post at this terrific forum.

GREAT SCOTT! Anyone got a pic of this????????????????

Thanks for the info! If you will note in the pic of the two kids strarting the clock...was the the miniature one or was that a cerimonial clock for the event???

John

[WTx]

Ok, with all this talk of nostalgia about this clock I think its time for the members of this forum to take matters into our own hands! Does anybody with a bit of graphic knowledge know how we could do a cyber clock with correct time, temp, etc? Instead of CNB in green put FWF for Fort Worth Forum and place the clock where a banner would go. The clock would be on top of the Fort Worth Forum! Would that not be the best restoration project this forum could undertake? It can't be torn down and never needs repair. Just an idear...

[seurto]

Hey - That's not a bad idea!!

[johnlp]

I'd like that!

[Funkdoobiest]

Can somebody repost the pics again? They've since turned into red Xs.