In 1998, this clocktower celebrated its 90th birthday. In honor of the structure’s 90 years of service to local residents, volunteer Tom Schroth fixed the tower’s four clocks, so that today they remain timekeepers over one of the most historically rich areas of the Hudson Valley.
The clocks sit atop a copper roof, beneath which lies a building that houses a uniquely eclectic mix of artifacts. Constructed in 1908 as a gift to the town from a well-known philanthropist and businessman, the building is home to a library and two museums. This same businessman helped establish several other landmarks in the surrounding area, including the once-thriving Mizzen-Top Hotel that is now a historic landmark.
Inside this building’s chiseled gray, stone exterior, the spacious ground-floor library harbors a collection of rare, out-of-print volumes pertaining to local history. On the floor below lies a natural history museum, which contains everything from a taxidermied mongoose to a shrunken human head. To top off the building’s various displays, a steep staircase brings visitors up to a museum of Quaker history.
The surrounding town was once home to the Hudson Valley’s largest Quaker population. Now it’s known as a scenic destination for visitors seeking outdoor activities. Can you find where this clock-helmed building resides? Submit your answer in the form below; the first reader with the correct response wins a prize. Good luck!
