The Colgate Clock in Clarksville, Indiana is one of the largest clocks in the world, with a diameter of 40 feet (12 meters) and hands weighing over 500 pounds each. It was built in 1906 to celebrate the centennial of the Colgate Company, which produced its first toothpaste in 1873.
The clock was originally installed at the Colgate-Palmolive factory in Jersey City, New Jersey, but was moved to Indiana in 1924, when a larger clock replaced it.
The Colgate Clock is mounted on a former Colgate-Palmolive factory that was once a state prison. The prison opened in 1847 and closed in 1923, when Colgate bought the building and converted it into a soap-making plant. Some prisoners helped with the conversion and stayed in cells at the location while it took place.
The factory closed in 2008 and the clock’s fate is uncertain. The site is in a prime area for developers, as it is just across the river from Louisville, Kentucky, with easy access to I-65. Colgate has not made any plans for the preservation of the clock, which was placed on the 10 Most Endangered Landmarks list by the Historic Landmarks Foundation of Indiana in 2006 and 2007.
The Colgate Clock is a remarkable piece of history and engineering, and a landmark for the residents of Clarksville and Louisville. It is visible from nearly two miles away and has been illuminated for almost a century. It is one of the world’s largest single-facing clocks and a symbol of the Colgate Company’s legacy.