Downtown El Paso in El Paso County, Texas — The American South (West South Central)

Historic Sidewalk Clock

Photographed by Mansfieldphoto.com, October 4, 2025

1. Historic Sidewalk Clock Marker

Inscription.

Historic Sidewalk Clock. . Historic Sidewalk Clock. This sidewalk clock has marked time in downtown El Paso since 1911. Made by the E. Howard and company of Boston, Massachusetts it is a masterpiece of cast-iron workmanship featuring two large round faces and mounted on a classical column that measures fifteen feet from the base to the center of the dial. The clock continues to operate using its original mechanical movement. , Introduced in the 1860s, sidewalk clocks were popular in American cities both as everyday conveniences and as advertising devices. A small business would buy a sidewalk clock and install it in front of the store, often painting the name of the business onto the clock face, or above the face on the bonnet. When the business owners moved, they usually took their clocks with them., Julius H. Alberts, whose jewelry store is pictured here, was the clock's last owner. He donated this clock to the city of El Paso in 1929. Since then it has been located in different sites downtown., The clock was completely restored in 2005 by David Seay of the Regulator Time Company, Manhattan, Kansas with a grant from the Renaissance Fund of the El Paso Community Foundation. The restoration project was a partnership of the El Paso downtown Management District, Rio Grande Clock Club, City of El Paso and the El Paso Community Foundation. , Reloj Histórico. Este histórico reloj de calle ha marcado el tiempo en el centro del El Paso desde 1911. El reloj, fabricado por E. Howard and Company de Boston Massachussets es una obra de arte hecho de fierro forjado, con dos grandes carátulas redondas, montadas en una columna clásica que mide quince pies (4.57 metros) de la base al centro de la muestra. El reloj sigue funcionando con el mecanismo original., Introducidos durante los años de 1860, los relojes de calle se estilaban en las ciudades americanas tanto como un mecanismo útil de la vida cotidiana, así como aparato para la publicidad. Los pequeños negocios compraban su reloj de calle y lo instalaban al frente del local. Muchas veces la imagen del negocio aparecía en la esfera del mismo, o por encima de la esfera en el casquete. Cuando se trasladaban los negocios, normalmente se llevaban sus relojes., Julius H. Alberts, cuya joyería aparece en la fotografía, fue el ultimo dueño de este reloj y en 1929 lo donó a la cuidad de El Paso. Ha estado en varios sitios del centro de la ciudad., El reloj fue totalmente restaurado en 2005 por David Seay de Regulator Time Company, Manhattan, Kansas con un subsidio del Fondo Renaissance establecido en El Paso Community Foundation. El proyecto de restauración fue una colaboración entre El Paso Downtown Management District, Rio Grande Clock Club, City of El Paso y El Paso Community Foundation.

Historic Sidewalk Clock This sidewalk clock has marked time in downtown El Paso since 1911. Made by the E. Howard & company of Boston, Massachusetts it is a masterpiece of cast-iron workmanship featuring two large round faces and mounted on a classical column that measures fifteen feet from the base to the center of the dial. The clock continues to operate using its original mechanical movement.

Introduced in the 1860s, sidewalk clocks were popular in American cities both as everyday conveniences and as advertising devices. A small business would buy a sidewalk clock and install it in front of the store, often painting the name of the business onto the clock face, or above the face on the bonnet. When the business owners moved, they usually took their clocks with them.

Julius H. Alberts, whose jewelry store is pictured here, was the clock's last owner. He donated this clock to the city of El Paso in 1929. Since then it has been located in different sites downtown.

The clock was completely restored in 2005 by David Seay of the Regulator Time Company, Manhattan, Kansas with a grant from the Renaissance Fund of the El Paso Community Foundation. The restoration project was a partnership of the El Paso downtown Management District, Rio Grande Clock Club, City of El Paso and the El

Paid Advertisement

Click or scan to see
this page online

Paso Community Foundation.

Reloj Histórico Este histórico reloj de calle ha marcado el tiempo en el centro del El Paso desde 1911. El reloj, fabricado por E. Howard & Company de Boston Massachussets es una obra de arte hecho de fierro forjado, con dos grandes carátulas redondas, montadas en una columna clásica que mide quince pies (4.57 metros) de la base al centro de la muestra. El reloj sigue funcionando con el mecanismo original.

Introducidos durante los años de 1860, los relojes de calle se estilaban en las ciudades americanas tanto como un mecanismo útil de la vida cotidiana, así como aparato para la publicidad. Los pequeños negocios compraban su reloj de calle y lo instalaban al frente del local. Muchas veces la imagen del negocio aparecía en la esfera del mismo, o por encima de la esfera en el casquete. Cuando se trasladaban los negocios, normalmente se llevaban sus relojes.

Julius H. Alberts, cuya joyería aparece en la fotografía, fue el ultimo dueño de este reloj y en 1929 lo donó a la cuidad de El Paso. Ha estado en varios sitios del centro de la ciudad.

El reloj fue totalmente restaurado en 2005 por David Seay de Regulator Time Company, Manhattan, Kansas con un subsidio del Fondo Renaissance establecido en El Paso Community Foundation. El proyecto de restauración fue una colaboración entre El Paso

El Paso's Historic Sidewalk Clock image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Ian Lefkowitz, September 3, 2022

2. El Paso's Historic Sidewalk Clock

Downtown Management District, Rio Grande Clock Club, City of El Paso y El Paso Community Foundation.

Erected by Historical El Paso County Commission.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Landmarks. A significant historical year for this entry is 1911.

Location. 31° 45.561′ N, 106° 29.317′ W. Marker is in El Paso, Texas, in El Paso County. It is in Downtown El Paso. It is at the intersection of North Oregon Avenue and Mills Avenue, on the right when traveling north on North Oregon Avenue. Marker is located at the San Jacinto Plaza. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 114 W Mills Ave, El Paso TX 79901, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Texas’ Trans-Pecos & Big Bend Region.

It is also in the American Southwest.

Globally, it is in North America,

a Gulf of Mexico state,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain,

the Republic of Texas,

and one of the Confederate States of America.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: El Camino Real (a few steps from this marker); San Jacinto Plaza (within shouting distance of this marker); El Paso's Chinese Community (within shouting distance of this marker); The First United States Soldiers to Be Stationed at the Pass of the North (within shouting distance of this marker); Site of United States Courthouse (within shouting distance of this marker); First Encounter Between President William H. Taft and President Porfirio Díaz (within shouting distance of this marker); El Paso County

Historic Sidewalk Clock and Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Bill Kirchner, November 3, 2010

3. Historic Sidewalk Clock and Marker

(within shouting distance of this marker); Hotel Cortez (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line). Touch for a list and map of all markers in El Paso.

San Jacinto Plaza image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Ian Lefkowitz, September 3, 2022

4. San Jacinto Plaza

The historic clock is located in El Paso's central San Jacinto Plaza.

Photographed by Bill Kirchner, November 3, 2010

5. Historic Sidewalk Clock Marker

Photographed by Ian Lefkowitz, September 3, 2022

6. Historic Sidewalk Clock Marker

Credits. This page was last revised on November 4, 2025. It was originally submitted on November 11, 2010, by Bill Kirchner of Tucson, Arizona. This page has been viewed 1,540 times since then and 12 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on November 4, 2025, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas. 2. submitted on March 31, 2025, by Ian Lefkowitz of New York, New York. 3. submitted on November 11, 2010, by Bill Kirchner of Tucson, Arizona. 4. submitted on March 31, 2025, by Ian Lefkowitz of New York, New York. 5. submitted on November 11, 2010, by Bill Kirchner of Tucson, Arizona. 6. submitted on March 31, 2025, by Ian Lefkowitz of New York, New York. • Syd Whittle was the editor who published this page.