Progress on New Harmony clock currently at a standstill

By Dennis Marshall

NEW HARMONY, Ind. — Crews are actively restoring the historic clock tower on the Ribeyre Center, with scaffolding, painting, and masonry work visible along Main Street.

The Ribeyre Gym Restoration Group is overseeing a $100,000 restoration of the landmark, funded by a $50,000 crowdfunding campaign and a matching grant. The project began in late June and is expected to continue into the fall.

Koester Construction is handling the work currently visible to the public. Jeff Koester’s crew is painting the louvers on the tower, while Connie Koester has been tuckpointing deteriorated mortar on the brick openings where material had been missing for years. Jeff has also installed plywood inside the tower to protect the interior from the elements. Once that work is complete, on-site activity will pause until mid-August.

The restoration involves several specialized contractors, each responsible for a different part of the project. The Verdin Company, based in Pendleton, Ohio, is handling the main clock restoration. The company removed the original glass panels, hands, and framework in late June and took them to its shop to replicate. It is also remounting the bell with a new striker and will install new Plexiglas dial faces and hands. The Verdin Company supplied the new electronic controller, which will be housed in the trustee’s office on the ground floor.

Nix Industrial of Poseyville removed the old clock workings and stored them in a closet on the lower level. The company also removed the numeral frames and took them to its shop for sandblasting and painting. Those frames are scheduled to return for reinstallation in early to mid-August. Beuligmann performed the interior electrical upgrades, including new LED lighting and dedicated power for the controller. That work is largely invisible to the public.

Scarafia said the original mechanism had become difficult to maintain. “It is a complicated gear and actuator driven system, and we couldn’t find anyone to keep it up any longer,” he said. The new electronic controller is intended to provide more reliable operation while preserving the tower’s historic appearance. The project has proceeded without surprises, he added.

The Ribeyre Center, formerly known as the Ribeyre Gymnasium, was built in 1924 as the New Harmony school gymnasium. It has long served as a community event space for weddings, reunions, and public gatherings. Its clock tower remains one of the most visible landmarks on Main Street.

Work on the custom clock faces and hands in Pendleton, Ohio, is the main factor in the timeline. Scarafia said late September is the current target for that phase, though it is not a firm date. The next noticeable work on site will occur in mid-August when the restored numeral frames are reinstalled, followed by the major clock installation by The Verdin Company later in the summer or early fall.