3/18/10

Bromo Seltzer Tower Renovation



In 1911, Captain Isaac E. Emerson, the inventor of Bromo Seltzer, constructed the Bromo Seltzer Tower. Standing at 288.7 feet high, this was the tallest structure in Baltimore until 1923. There was originally a factory at the base of the tower which has since been replaced by a firehouse. The most distinctive feature of the tower is the four huge clock faces at the top of the building. Each clock has, in addition to the roman numerals, the words Bromo Seltzer spelled out around each face. Everyone who lives, works or visits the city knows the Bromo Seltzer clock, it's a major landmark.

A couple of years ago the Tower was completely renovated on the inside and now houses 33 artist studios. My son-in-law, Edo, worked for nearly two years on those renovations. Edo is a finish carpenter and specializes in historic restoration work. This is what he did in Holland before coming to the US in 2002. He is back at the Tower, this time to rehab the hands of the south facing clock. The south clock has not worked for some time because the hands are stuck. This week the hands were removed and Edo has begun restoring them.

I'm planning to be there when the restored clock hands are put back in place. I would love to get pictures of that.

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