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The History of The Waterman Village Clock

Our clock has been a special part of our town for 81 years.   It is special because it was given as memorial for a former mayor, it helped the people of our community work as a team for its repair and it has also become a symbol of our little village.  Our clock has a special meaning to all of the citizens.

Mr. Wiltberger was Mayor of Waterman many years ago.   No one is exactly sure when Mr. Wiltberger became mayor.  In addition to being mayor he sold houses and farms.  When people needed money he would lend them money.   He was a nice man.  On July 31, 1917, when he was forty-seven years old, Mr. Wiltberger died in an automobile accident.  When his wife found out she was very sad.   She wanted to give a memorial to the village because Mr. Wiltberger loved our town so much.  Mrs. Wiltberger had a post clock made by the Howard Company of Boston.   The clock was made out of sheet metal; it was 15 feet tall and weighed two tons.   The clock had four faces, each lit in the evening hours by an incandescent lamps so that anyone passing by could see the time.  The clock was wound using chains like a grandfather clock.  Each week it would have to be wound.  The clock kept perfect time for 52 years.  In 1970 it stopped.

In 1990 the Waterman Businessman's Association decided to raise money to fix up the clock.  They sold sweatshirts and T-shirts to help raise money.  They had a donkey basketball game and they asked for donations from community members and businesses too.  Tom Wallin of Kallal's Sheet Sheet Metal, Inc. in DeKalb, Illinois repaired the clock.  Mr. Wallin replaced the clock's machine-stamped metal with hand pounded copper.  The clock was made into an electric clock.  The cost of all the repairs was $12,300.  The community members were able to raise $13, 767 to repair the clock and restore the wrought iron fence, which surrounded the clock.   Once again the clock is keeping perfect time and should last for many years to come.

The clock is our towns symbol. Mrs. Martha Fay drew a picture of the clock.  Her picture has been used on sweatshirts, T-shirts, centennial plates bookmarks, book covers and community brochures.

The Waterman clock is a special clock and a very important part of our village.
Written by Mrs. Williams's Second Grade Class, October 1999.

Clock Poems

Special gift to Waterman
Made in Boston Massachusetts
Given by Mrs. Wiltberger.
It looks pretty now.
Makes me remember Mayor Wiltberger.

Michelle

Black, cool, gift
Made in Boston, Massachusetts
Made in 1918.
Made by the Howard Company.
The clock is cool.

Maggie

Neat, old, cool
Made of copper
In memory of Mr. Wiltberger,
Mrs. Wiltberger gave the clock.
The clock tells time.

Aaron

Cool, old, clock
I always see the clock.
The clock is big.
The clock is black.
The clock watches over the town.
The clock is the best clock ever.

Tim