National Sponsors
February 24, 2011 The Defuniak Springs Herald | ![]() |
©
The Defuniak Springs Herald. All rights reserved. Upgrade to access Premium Tools
PAGE 13 (13 of 24 available) PREVIOUS NEXT Jumbo Image Save To Scrapbook Set Notifiers PDF JPG
February 24, 2011 |
|
Website © 2025. All content copyrighted. Copyright Information Terms Of Use | Privacy Policy | Request Content Removal | About / FAQ | Get Acrobat Reader ![]() |
THE DeFUNIAK SPRINGS HERALD BREEZE, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 24,2011
PAGE 1-B
P
ngs
First Nationa]l Bank hiatorica][ dock dedicated
Story and photos by
BRUCE COLLIER
Beautiful warm weather
and a larger-than-expect-
ed crowd made last Sat-
urday's dedication of the
First National Bank CloCk
an historical occasion for
all concerned. The restored
timepiece, located on the
corner of Baldwin Avenue
and 7th Street in DeFuniak
Springs, was formally dedi-
cated and a commemora-
tive plaque unveiled at a
brief ceremony that began
promptly at the stroke of
10 a.m., a sound heard -
and cheered - by attendees.
In the crowd were Walton
County commissioners, De-
Funiak Springs City Coun-
cil members, City Manager
Kim Kirby, DFSPD City
Marshal Mark Weeks, edu-
cators and community lead-
ers.
Walton County Heritage
Association President Diane
Merkel opened the proceed-
ings, welcoming guests and
introducing Walton County
Heritage Association Board
of Directors member Rev.
Tyrone Broadus. Broadus
gave the invocation and
asked a special blessing on
the contributors: "those who
thought it not robbery to
take stock in the clock."
DeFuniak Springs Mayor
Harold Carpenter. spoke
next, thanking those who
contributed, worked on or
otherwise supported the ef-
forts to restore the histori-
cal clock to its rightful state.
'The word is 'accomplished,"
he said. A list of names,
printed on a program giv-
en out to attendees, listed
contributors and those who
worked on the clock project.
The program flyer also list-
ed the names of those who
had contributed funds to the
Take Stock in the Clock sub-
scription drive, which raised
a total of $3,715.
County Commissioner
Larry Jones briefly remi-
nisced about seeing the
clock in his younger days,
remarking that "the clock is
cool again." Following Jones,
Walton County Heritage
Association Vice President
Terry Dawkins presented
Carpenter with a check fog
"leftover" funds that had
been collected for the clock
but not spent.
"Timing is everything,"
quipped Walton County Cit-
izens Services Director Ken
Little, as the clock chimed
10:15 a.m. Little and vari.
ous officials and supportero
of the project stood by as the
nearby bronze plaque whS
unveiled. The plaque, set
into the wall of the build-
ing now housing the Pub-
lic Defender's office, reads:
"First National Bank Clock,
Placed in service at this lo-
cation 1924, Restoration in
2010, A partnership of The
City of DeFuniak Spring
Walton County Board
County Commissioners, Thb
Walton County Heritage As-
sociation, Inc. and Florida
White Sands Chapter 96,
the National Association of
Watch and Clock Collectors
of Pensacola, Florida." :
A punch and cake receR-
tion was held immediate]iT
after the dedication, at
Walton County Heritagh
Museum on Circle Drive.
KEEPING TIME ONCE MORE IS THE FIRST NATIONAL BANK CLOCK at the cor-
ner of Baldwin Avenue and 7th Street in DeFuniak Springs.
WALTON COUNTY HERITAGE ASSOCIATION PRESIDENT DIANE MERKEL ex- PLAQUE honors the groups that worked together to restore the First National Bank
presses her joy at hearing the chimes of the First National Bank Clock. Clock.
TAKE
STOCK IN
THE CLOCK
fundraising
effort is com-
memorated
in display
near the First
National
Bank Clock
in DeFuniak
Springs.
(Photo by
Gary Wood-
ham)
KEN LITTLE (r) AND GUESTS unveil a commemorative bronze plaque near the First National Bank Clock,
which was formally dedicated on Feb. 19.
/llllllllllllllll/llllllll//lllltlllltl iiliilll/ ' .... . ,