Sidewalk Clock at 1501 3rd Avenue, Manhattan

Sidewalk Clock at 1501 Third Avenue
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
New York City Landmark  No. 1169
Sidewalk Clock at 1501 Third Avenue
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Location	1501 Third Avenue, Manhattan, New York City
Coordinates	40°46′40.3″N73°57′16.3″W / 40.777861°N 73.954528°W / 40.777861; -73.954528
Built	1880 (1880)
Architect	E. Howard & Co. E. Howard Clock Co.
NRHP reference No.	85000926
NYCL No.	1169
Significant dates
Added to NRHP	April 18, 1985 [1]
Designated NYCL	August 25, 1981 [2]

The Sidewalk Clock at 1501 Third Avenue is an early 19th-century sidewalk clock in New York City. The cast iron clock was built in 1880 by E. Howard & Co. It was designated as a New York City Landmark on August 25, 1981, and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on April 18, 1985.

History

The Sidewalk Clock at 1501 Third Avenue between East 84th and 85th Streets was originally located across Third Avenue at #1508, where jeweler Adolf Stern mounted it outside his store. The business moved across the street to #1501 in the 1920s, and the clock came with it. The clock, designed to look like a large pocket watch, was made by the E. Howard Clock Company. Sometime after 1900, arms were installed above the watch fob, once supporting the three golden balls, a traditional symbol of pawnbrokers. ^{[2] [1] [3]}

The Sidewalk Clock at 1501 Third Avenue was designated as a New York City Landmark on August 25, 1981, and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on April 18, 1985. ^{[1] [3]}

First introduced in the 1860s, cast-iron street clocks gained popularity both as practical timepieces and as unique advertising tools. Edward Howard (1813–1904), founder of the E. Howard Clock & Watch Company in 1861, built a successful clock business in Massachusetts, with a New York office at 532 Broadway. ^{[4] [5]}

On August 28, 1985, the Daily News reported that the historic clock, encased in cast iron, was stolen. Herbert Rickman lead a crusade to raise funds to maintain and repair the eight remaining clocks. ^[6] The clock was found and returned when Rickman offered the resident and clock collector $2,200 as a refund plus expenses. ^[7]

See also

• List of New York City Designated Landmarks in Manhattan from 59th to 110th Streets
  
• National Register of Historic Places listings in Manhattan from 59th to 110th Streets
  
• Street clock

References

1. "Sidewalk Clock at 1501 3rd Avenue, Manhattan". National Park Service. April 18, 1985. Retrieved March 27, 2025.
2. "Sidewalk Clock, 1501 Third Avenue". NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission. Retrieved March 27, 2025.
3. Dolkart, Andrew (1998). Guide to New York City Landmarks. Preservation Press. Retrieved March 27, 2025.
4. "SIDEWALK CLOCK, I501 Third Avenue" (PDF). Landmarks Preservation Commission. August 25, 198. Retrieved March 27, 2025.
5. "Sidewalk Clock of New York City Thematic Resources". National Park Service. April 18, 1985. Retrieved March 30, 2025.
6. "Thieves take clock, run fast". New York, New York: Daily News. August 28, 1985. p. 5. Retrieved March 27, 2025.
7. Michelle Slatalla (September 14, 1985). "A Good Time While It Lasted". Melville, New York: Newsday (Suffolk Edition). p. 7. Retrieved March 27, 2025.

External links

Media related to Sidewalk clock 1501 Third Avenue at Wikimedia Commons