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Depot Clock Tells History
By SEAN LENGELL slengell@tampatrib.com
Published: Oct 18, 2003
TAMPA - Time isn't standing still at Tampa's 91-year-old Union Station.
A freestanding 30-foot clock tower has been installed outside the downtown train depot, featuring four clock faces and images representing the city's railroad history.
The piece, called the Centennial Clock Keep, was commissioned by the Tampa Public Art Program for $35,000.
``It's certainly one of the most complex [artworks] we've done, by design and construction,'' Public Art Administrator Robin Nigh said.
Designed by Rhode Island artist Bill Culbertson, the concrete structure features dozens of graphic and pictorial reliefs , including Florida railroad magnet Henry Plant, logos of passenger train lines that once served Tampa, and Henry Love, Union Station's first manager.
A brick base will be installed soon.
``The whole thing is the history of the train station,'' Culbertson said. ``I'm trying to make people happy and hopefully make something local people can be proud of.''
Culbertson said he designed the ornate clock box at the top of the column to resemble the station's long-demolished watchman's tower. The tower was used as a lookout by railroad workers to direct trains.
Union Station, 601 N. Nebraska Ave., was built in 1912. The building, now an Amtrak depot, was restored in 1998 for $2.6 million.
Reporter Janis D. Froelich contributed to this story. Reporter Sean Lengell can be reached at (813) 259-7145
The installation was also covered by Fox Television in Tampa for the 6 O'clock news
Depot Clock Tells History
By SEAN LENGELL slengell@tampatrib.com
Published: Oct 18, 2003
TAMPA - Time isn't standing still at Tampa's 91-year-old Union Station.
A freestanding 30-foot clock tower has been installed outside the downtown train depot, featuring four clock faces and images representing the city's railroad history.
The piece, called the Centennial Clock Keep, was commissioned by the Tampa Public Art Program for $35,000.
``It's certainly one of the most complex [artworks] we've done, by design and construction,'' Public Art Administrator Robin Nigh said.
Designed by Rhode Island artist Bill Culbertson, the concrete structure features dozens of graphic and pictorial reliefs , including Florida railroad magnet Henry Plant, logos of passenger train lines that once served Tampa, and Henry Love, Union Station's first manager.
A brick base will be installed soon.
``The whole thing is the history of the train station,'' Culbertson said. ``I'm trying to make people happy and hopefully make something local people can be proud of.''
Culbertson said he designed the ornate clock box at the top of the column to resemble the station's long-demolished watchman's tower. The tower was used as a lookout by railroad workers to direct trains.
Union Station, 601 N. Nebraska Ave., was built in 1912. The building, now an Amtrak depot, was restored in 1998 for $2.6 million.
Reporter Janis D. Froelich contributed to this story. Reporter Sean Lengell can be reached at (813) 259-7145
The installation was also covered by Fox Television in Tampa for the 6 O'clock news
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