The Oldest Continuously Running Clock In The United States.

Search Area: Winnsboro, SC

COORDINATES: N34° 22.844  W81° 05.149

Town Clock

In 1785, the General Assembly of South Carolina authorized the establishment of a public market in the town of Winnsborough, Corner and Washington Streets. This market house was a square, wooden building, painted yellow, and was topped with a belfry.

Some years later, probably between 1820 and 1830, this market house was sold to Robert Cathcart for a goodly sum. Mr. Cathcart, at the same time, donated to the town his old duck-pond, a small piece of land in the middle of Washington Street, as a site for a new market house. The town council accepted the land and petitioned the legislature in due time for authority to erect the new market-house and town clock. The legislature gave this authority, “Provided the building be no more than 30 feet in width.” So the erection of the town clock was begun soon after this, probably as early as 1822.

The works for the new clock were ordered from Alsace, France by Colonel William McCreight, intendant (mayor) of the town in 1837. They were imported to Charleston by sailboat, and hauled to Winnsboro in wagons. Varied and interesting, if not authentic, are the reports of the journey from Charleston. A freedman Adam Blake declared that it took 50 wagons to do the hauling! The earliest structural clock works are wooden and still exist. The market tower clock has been documented to be the longest continually used town clock in America.

The town clock bell was French-made also, and is said to have had silver in its composition. This bell did good service until 1895. During a fire that year two young men were ringing it so vigorously that it cracked and was sent to Philadelphia for repairs. When after some delay it was returned and sounded for the first time, the tone was so different from the old tone that doubt was expressed immediately as to its being the original bell.

In 1875 it was found necessary to repair the clock tower, and an internal reinforcing wooden structure was erected. The carpentry work was done by an African American carpenter of Winnsboro, John Smart. 

I wonder if I can find the resting place of John Smart? In a short search he is mentioned as having done the carpentry work, but little else.

The old public market occupied the ground floor of the town clock and had a bell of its own. Its tone was not so silvery as that of the clock, but was a very welcome one when its ringing proclaimed to the villagers and salivating neighborhood dogs that fresh meat was to be had at the market. When the curfew law prevailed the old market bell tolled the curfew at 9 o’clock every evening.

The little town of Winnsboro is well worth the visit. There's a train museum, plenty of history, geocaching, etc. Good local restaurants and friendly people, if you're ever out for a wander and find yourself here.

Get off the highway!