Do you wonder why I started with a birthday wish for the Labor Day Holiday? Well, it’s a very simple explanation: On September 2, 2019 (first Monday of September) it will be the 125th anniversary of Labor Day being celebrated as a national holiday. The request for such a holiday first came through a municipal ordinance passed in 1885 and 1886. From this there was a movement to secure state legislation. This was first introduced to New York state, but the first state to pa

December has always been a joyous time for Westcloxers. (Except for 1942, but we’ll save that for another time.) I can’t begin to tell you how many “Baby Boomers” have commented on the wonderful Christmas parties the company used to throw for the children/grandchildren of employees. I’d like to talk about another December event that was anxiously-awaited by an elite group of employees – the annual Quarter Century Club banquet. For those who don’t already know, the Quarter C

One of the first things most of us do in the morning, and one of the last things before going to bed at night, is check the weather report. This means either a quick look at our smartphone, tablet or computer, turning on The Weather Channel on TV, tuning in our local radio station or possibly checking the newspaper. (Your method of checking probably depends a lot on your age, but we won’t get into that.) Whatever you choose, you can count on a pretty accurate and detailed

Little Known Facts About Westclox As Veteran’s Day draws close, I am inspired to write about Westclox during World War II. Some of you likely remember this era, and even visited our special exhibits last year, but there are some things you probably don’t know – like: “The Clock that Caused a Near-Riot” It was July 31, 1942, when the unthinkable happened at Westclox – clock production ceased! According to Tick Talk Magazine, August 1942, “On July 31 we made our last Westclo

I’m guessing that the majority of you who read this column are at least one generation removed from World War II, and many of you are two or three generations removed from that troubling time. That’s why I decided that the story of Westclox during World War II needed to be shared now – 70 years after the war ended. I don’t know why, but the 1940’s was the last decade that we had left to scan for our Tick Talk project. When I began 1942, I was stunned. The amount of informa

In my first Curator’s Corner article, I talked a lot about the Tick Talk magazines and our project with them. Today, I’d like to touch on some information from one of the magazines from 1929. About 90 years ago, the Company was already attempting to establish a museum of Westclox timepieces within the confines of the plant, but with little success. In 1929 there was “…a collection of battle-scarred World War “vets”, fire victims, and several other timepieces that were made

“You never know what you might find at the Westclox Museum!” It seems I’ve been saying that a lot lately, because it’s true. Every day is a new experience – new visitors, new donations and especially new stories. Yes, I’ve read and reviewed the history of Westclox as compiled by the company, and both of my parents and innumerable relatives worked here (I did not.). My husband and co-curator worked here for 17 years, until the plant closed, and his job in the machine and t