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Constructed in 1901, the original clock tower of this courthouse was the victim of multiple lightning strikes, which over time caused it to be drastically truncated. In the 1970’s, a citizen’s group restored the clock and installed a new bell on the shortened tower, while also adding lightning rods. In 2000, the Citizen’s Committee to Restore the Courthouse Clock and Bell Tower was formed with the goal of restoring the tower to its original 1901 height, while utilizing modern materials to bring the tower up to code. Local sculptors and craftsmen were hired to replicate missing decorative elements. The $1.5 million needed to complete this project was raised completely by local donors. The jury was impressed with “the level of dedication of the community and the impact the project has had on Urbana’s downtown.”
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Photo credits: 1 (left) Charles Webster; 1 (right), 2, 3, 5 Courtesy of the
Citizens Committee to Restore the Courthouse Clock and Bell Tower; 4 Landmarks
Illinois; 6 Anthony Rubano, Illinois Historic Preservation Agency
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