A Map of New York City’s Clocks and Their History

Grand Central Station. 89 East 42nd Street Manhattan, New York City. / Credit: WorldStrides

New York is known for many things: the culture, the food, the architecture, and the hustle. It is both great at being exceptional, and at being awful. It also has almost 300 years of history inside it. Think of it this way, in 1880, New York had about 1.2 million people living in it. By 1910, 10 million. Fast forward to today and it sits at over 19 million. That amount of people packed inside a place like New York, well, creates New York. It is this aspect that contributes greatly to its rich and vibrant history. Have you ever thought of its horological history though?

Well, today, we’re looking at 10 iconic clocks in and around New York City. The great thing about these clocks is that each can be reached by foot. And we mapped it all out so you can explore the city and its history by foot or computer.

1. The Grand Central Clock - 89 East 42nd Street, Manhattan

The Grand Central Tiffany clock / Credit: Untapped Cities

Grand Central Station, located at 42nd Street and Park Avenue, is where we will begin. This clock is located above the Grand Central building. The statue that holds the clock, named ‘Transportation’, is roughly 48-feet high, weighs over 1500 tons, and took builders over seven years to construct. Each character represents a virtue of a railroad – speed is represented by Mercury, intellect is represented by Minerva, and strength is represented by Hercules. The clock itself is roughly 14 feet in diameter and was constructed in 1914. It is the largest display of Tiffany glass in the world, and just one of Tiffany’s boisterous horological displays around NYC.

2. The Delacorte Clock - East 65th Street and 5th Avenue, Manhattan

The Delacorte Zoo Clock, located in Central Park / Credit: Pinterest user

A couple kilometers down the road, located on East 65th Street and 5th Avenue, the Delacorte clock is a brick archway located between the Central Park Zoo and the Tisch Children's Zoo. The full name is the ‘George Delacorte Musical Clock’, dedicated to its donor in 1965, George T. Delacorte. Delacorte was a philanthropist who donated many of the children’s attractions one would find inside Central Park, his inspiration behind the clock was the medieval mechanical clocks found in many European cities. Depending on the time of year, you will hear melodies such as ‘Jingle Bells’ emerging from the figure play underneath, while simultaneously keeping track of time above.

Greenery observed from Central Park. New York City. / Credit: AFI

New York’s Central Park famously dates back to 1858, when it was built to address the recreational needs of citizens living in surrounding area. As New York was a rapidly developing city, the park provided an outlet for people living in the city core to enjoy the countryside. Now, over 150 years later, the Park still provides the same purpose.

Now off to Fifth Avenue!

3. Tiffany & Co. Atlas clock - 727 5th Avenue, Manhattan

Tiffany & Co. Atlas Clock / Credit: Andrew Bordwin

At 727 Fifth Avenue Street is the clock that tops Tiffany & Co. The nine-foot figure of Atlas was carved in 1853 and is the oldest public clock in New York City. The Atlas clock has undergone a few location changes from its original placement on Prince Street and Broadway. It is currently residing at the Tiffany & Co. flagship store on 5th Avenue. The perfect environment to film Hollywood classics like Breakfast at Tiffany’s.

The first Tiffany store opened in New York City in 1837, some time before the statue and clock were ever made.

4. Fifth Avenue Building Street Clock - 200 5th Avenue, Manhattan

Fifth Avenue Street Clock / Credit: Time Out

As we arrive at the corner of 23rd street, directly in front of the dramatic Flatiron building, we come upon the Fifth Avenue Building Street Clock. It is an enduring symbol of New York, and one of the most popular attractions in New York City for tourists and photographers alike.

The Flatiron clock was installed in 1909, just years after the completion of the Flatiron building in the background. This street clock was designated a New York City landmark in 1981.

It was restored by Tiffany & Co. in 2011, upon establishing its new headquarters in this famous Flatiron district. A plaque is now situated on the lamp post commemorating the act.

Now, start walking over to the Brooklyn Williamsburgh Savings Tower and cross the Manhattan Bridge.

The Manhattan Bridge spanning the East River / Credit: Public Domain Pictures

The Manhattan Bridge is almost 7,000 feet in length and connect Brooklyn to Manhattan over the East River. It supports supporting cars, subway lines, pedestrian lanes, and separate bikeways. The bridge first opened to traffic in 1909, eight years after construction started.

The roadmap so far. The green circle indicates the start at Grand Central, each white circle (3 total) would indicate the stops, and the red circle is after you cross the Manhattan Bridge and arrive at the Brooklyn Williamsburgh Savings Tower.

5. Brooklyn Williamsburgh Savings Clock Tower – 1 Hanson Place, Brooklyn

Brooklyn Williamsburgh Savings Tower / Credit: New York Architecture

The Williamsburgh Savings Bank Tower is a historic skyscraper in Brooklyn. Construction started in 1927 by the architectural firm of Halsey, McCormark & Helmer. It was completed in 1929. Upon its completion it was the largest clock tower in the world at an astonishing 512 feet. The Brooklyn Williamsburgh Savings Tower held the record for 33 years until the Allen-Bradley Clocktower in Milwaukee took its place in 1962.

Within the building exists a ‘Ornamented Hall’ that has 63-foot ceilings, 40-foot windows, and was outfitted by some of the finest 20th century interior designers in Brooklyn. It is a real neo-Romanesque treasure.

On the way back to Manhattan, cross the Brooklyn Bridge and arrive at Broadway and Maiden Lane.

Brooklyn Bridge overlooking Manhattan / Credit: Trip Savvy

The Brooklyn Bridge is a suspension bridge spanning almost 6,000 feet over the East River from Brooklyn to Manhattan. Construction began in 1869 and was completed in 1883.

The mastermind behind the bridge, John Augustus Roebling died in an accident on site. His son then took over as Chief Engineer and developed decompression sickness while working in the underwater caissons (large watertight structures used in bridge construction). Washington Roebling then continued to direct operations while sick in his apartment in Brooklyn! Overall, 20 people died in the construction of this bridge. The sheer complexity of this project truly makes it an engineering marvel, and it represents a landmark in technological achievement and innovation for generations to come.

The Brooklyn Bridge was the largest bridge in the world with a main span of 1595 feet until the completion of the Firth of Forth cantilever bridge in Scotland in 1890.

Arriving back in Manhattan to Broadway and Maiden Lane

6. Barthman’s Sidewalk Clock - Broadway and Maiden Lane, Manhattan

Barthman’s Sidewalk Clock / Credit: Hodinkee

Now, the famous clock embedded in New York’s sidewalk at Broadway and Maiden Lane. This idea came from William Barthman in 1899. Barthman was a respected retailer of fine watches and jewelry since 1884, and this clock was part of an innovative advertising campaign – still running today! Today, over 120 years later, it is still a landmark in the financial district.

7. Café Select Clock - 212 Lafayette Street, Manhattan

Café Select Rolex Clock / Credit: Michelle Young

If you get hungry along the way, you can stop at Café Select on 212 Lafayette Street. It is a bistro-style European restaurant with many Swiss specialties. So, it would only be fitting to have a Swiss made Rolex clock fitted inside.

8. Paramount Building Clock Tower- 1501 Broadway, Manhattan

Paramount Building Clock Tower / Credit: Michelle Young

The Paramount Pictures building is located on 1501 Broadway and was once the tallest building in Times Square upon its completion in late 1926. The building was initially the Putnam building until Paramount bought it in the 1920s. Following the 1920s renovation, it acted as Paramount’s headquarters, and also housed the Paramount Theater. This building was a staple in Times Square during the boom in the 1920s, during the earlier years of the motion pictures industry.

The four giant clock faces and towering globe were designed to create an impressionable image of Paramount during the pivotal earlier years of moviegoing. It was designed by architects Rapp & Rapp to model the opulent ‘movie palace’ style of era. The well-known Paramount stars are encapsulated in the design of the clock faces.

9. Rockefeller Center Clock - 45 Rockefeller Plaza, Manhattan

Rockefeller Center Clock / Credit: Flickr user

Inside the Rockefeller Center, we land upon the ‘Story of Mankind’ clock.

The Story of Mankind limestone carvings were divided into their own ‘hieroglyph’ squares. These hieroglyphs were meant to symbolize mankind’s progress. You can see in the bottom middle square symbolizing the races of mankind, in which they evolve to international trade and industry on the square above that. One hieroglyph higher, you land upon three humans symbolizing art, science, and industry. Above that is the God of Mercury, symbolizing communication, and trade. Now once you arrive at the top, earth is represented through the clock and its rays. Each hieroglyph has its own unique meaning.

This beautiful Art Deco carving was completed in 1937 by Lee Lawrie with colourist Leon V. Solon. The Rockefeller Center was designated a landmark by the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission in 1985.

10. Grand Central Terminal Clock - 89 East 42nd Street, Manhattan

Grand Central Station Information Clock / Credit: Sandrine Merle

Now, the final clock is directly inside Grand Central station – right where we started with the Grand Central Clock located on the outside of the building.

On top of the main information booth at the Centre of the station is the four-faced clock made from opal and brass. This clock was estimated to be worth anywhere from $10-20 million based on estimates from Sotheby’s and Christie’s.

This is considered New York’s most famous clock, with the phrase, “Meet me under the clock,” being based on this marvel. It was completed in 1913 to commemorate the opening of the Grand Central Terminal, you’ve probably noticed it in a number of Hollywood movies include it over the years.

And thus a total 25 km walk comes to an end. Doable in 4.5 hours going 6 km per hour. Not bad if you get food in between, and a great way to get to know some of the interesting clocks in the city.

By: Eric Mulder

The map of the 25 km horological journey, starting and ending at Grand Central Station.

Read more:

“Population history of New York from 1790 - 1990.” Boston University, http://physics.bu.edu/~redner/projects/population/cities/newyork.html.
“Grand Central Terminal: What to See.” Grand Central Terminal, https://www.grandcentralterminal.com/what-to-see/.
“Delacourt Clock.” Central Park, https://www.centralparknyc.org/locations/delacorte-clock.
“Park Historoy.” Central Park, https://www.centralparknyc.org/park-history.
“The Tiffany & Co. Timeline.” Tiffany & Co., https://www.tiffany.com/world-of-tiffany/the-world-of-tiffany-timeline/.
“Manhattan Clocks.” Save America’s Clocks, http://www.clocks.org/manhattan/f-k.
“Manhattan Bridge.” Encyclopedia Britannica, https://www.britannica.com/topic/Manhattan-Bridge.
“The Williamsburgh Savings Bank Tower.” Skyscraper.org, https://old.skyscraper.org/EXHIBITIONS/FAVORITES/fav_williamsburgh.htm.
“The Clock in The SideWalk.” William Barthman, https://www.williambarthman.com/the-clock-in-the-sidewalk.
“The Paramount Building.” New York Architecture, https://www.nyc-architecture.com/MID/MID110.htm.
“The Story of Mankind.” Rockefeller Center, https://www.rockefellercenter.com/art/the-story-of-mankind/.
“Grand Central Terminal.” McGill University, https://www.cs.mcgill.ca/~rwest/wikispeedia/wpcd/wp/g/Grand_Central_Terminal.htm.
“Grand Central Terminal: About.” Grand Central Terminal, https://www.grandcentralterminal.com/about/.