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The rare four-dial street clock, installed in 1925, has been fully restored.

A Portland, Maine clock has stood the test of time and is celebrating its 100th anniversary this month.
The historic 18-foot Hay & Peabody Seth Thomas Clock at The Francis Hotel, built by a famous clockmaker, fell into disrepair and was nearly sold online before being restored to its original glory.
The rare four-dial street clock with its cast-iron structure was installed in 1925 by Hay & Peabody Funeral Home to commemorate the company’s 25th anniversary.
The clock, which would become one of the West End’s most iconic landmarks, was built by the famed Seth Thomas Clock Company of Connecticut — considered the oldest clockmaker in the United States and maker of the iconic timepiece at Grand Central Terminal. It is one of only 80 street clocks ever produced by Seth Thomas.
The fully restored clock of today, which sports a gleaming green finish and lights up at night, looked quite different a decade ago.
The clock was at risk of collapse and rusting after decades of neglect and landed on the Greater Portland Landmarks list of “Places in Peril,” which identifies historic and vulnerable sites at risk.
The funeral home had closed in 2005 and the Victorian mansion on Congress Street, called the Mellen E. Bolster House, sat vacant for more than a decade. Previous owners attempted to sell the clock on E-bay, according to Greater Portland Landmarks, but couldn’t because it is a part of the Congress Street Historic District.
In 2015, the mansion was bought by The Francis, a 15-room boutique hotel that opened in 2017. The hotel is named after Portland architect Francis Fassett, who helped rebuild much of the city after the Great Fire of 1866. He designed the building in 1881 for Mellen E. Bolster, a wealthy dry goods merchant.
The Francis wanted the clock, “a proud beacon of Portland’s early 20th-century elegance,” as officials put it, restored. So the hotel partnered with community organizations for a $50,000 clock restoration process completed in 2021.
“When we purchased The Francis, the clock was in terrible shape,” said Nate DeLois, co-owner of Uncommon Hospitality, which manages of The Francis, in a statement. “The iron structure was severely rusted, the bezels that hold the glass in place were broken, multiple clock faces were missing, and it looked like it would fall over at any moment. It hadn’t told time in years. Restoring it was important not just for The Francis, but for the entire neighborhood. Now it stands as a beautiful, working landmark, and we’re proud to have played a role in ensuring it will shine for the next 100 years.”
As part of the centennial celebration, officials are collecting 100 local pieces of art and photography inspired by the clock for a “100 Years, 100 Works” exhibit on display at the hotel. Folks can submit artwork, and each submission is an entry into a contest to win a free night at the hotel.
A rededication ceremony will take place on Oct. 22, which is free and open to the public, with remarks from The Francis, the Maine Historical Society, and Greater Portland Landmarks.
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