Street clocks are one of those accidental elements of urban design that make the difference between just another street and a GREAT street. Since the mid-1800s, street clocks have been erected by jewelry and clock sellers and other merchants to advertise their wares. The nineteenth century craze was driven by a desire for both visibility by businesses and prestige, with clocks becoming increasingly elaborate in their design.

Most early clocks were mechanical, and reflected the design sensibilities of the time, with Edwardian and Victorian design features, with elaborate pedestals and up to four clock faces that were often illuminated.

In the Western states, street clocks were a sign of high status in the 1800s, as most clocks were constructed back East, and were both difficult and expensive to transport out West. Only the most affluent business owners could afford the luxury. By the late 1800s, though, rapidly growing Western cities had dozens of street clocks dotting their streets.

By the 1920s, the fad was fading, but not before a second generation of art deco clocks burst onto the scene. Like the architectural movement itself, these electric clocks broke the old rules with colorful designs and neon lighting, and did not rely on a mechanical works to keep the time. To this day, clock aficionados debate the merits of electric versus mechanical clocks.

From the 1920s through the 1960s, street clocks were in sharp decline across the country. Many clocks were literally hit by automobiles, and others were pushed aside in the rush to widen roads to make room for more cars. Only after local civic groups rallied to save them from "progress" did these clocks earn their place on city historic registers that have since protected them.

Today, a revival in streets clocks is underway across the country, with both private businesses and public agencies installing both traditional and modern clocks. This site contains images of a wide variety of street clocks from across the Western states, located in small towns and major cities alike.