Manitou Town Clock, (sculpture).

Manitou Town Clock, (sculpture).

Unknown (Italian), sculptor.

Steddom, Debra, sculptor.

Morlan, Robert, sculptor.

Hyde, John, sculptor.

Seiko of Japan, contractor.

Manitou Town Clock, (sculpture).

Jerome Wheeler Clock, (sculpture).

Town Clock, (sculpture).

Cast ca. 1890. Dedicated 1890. Rededicated May, 1991.

Sculpture: cast iron, painted; Foundation: concrete.

Sculpture: approx. H. 15 ft. x Diam. 2 ft.; Foundation: approx. H. 6 in. x Circum. 208 in.

A large, ornate pedestal with four clock faces, one on each side. The pedestal is topped by a statue of the goddess Hygeia, the goddess of health, standing in a full-length, sleeveless robe, her hair in a Greek-style bun. She holds a lamp in her raised proper left hand and a pitcher in her proper right hand. The lower part of the pedestal has eight sides with dolphin head fonts. Eight catch basins are located alternately around the bottom of the pedestal directly under the dolphin heads. These nonfunctioning basins are now used as planters. The piece is painted green.

Mythology -- Classical -- Hygeia

Object -- Furniture -- Clock

Object -- Furniture -- Lamp

Object -- Other -- Dish

Animal -- Dolphin

Outdoor Sculpture -- Colorado -- Manitou Springs

Administered by City of Manitou Springs, 606 Manitou Avenue, Manitou Springs, Colorado 80829

Located Clock Square, Corner of Manitou Avenue & Canon Avenue, Manitou Springs, Colorado 80829

The sculpture was a gift of Colonel Jerome B. Wheeler, who paid $3,600 to have it made while on a tour of Italy in 1890. Colonel Wheeler was a successful businessman, former Civil War soldier, and philanthropist who presented the sculpture to the town to commemorate the construction of his Manitou Mineral Water Bottling Company, which stood 100 yards west of the sculpture. The Goddess Hygeia was chosen to adorn it to "protect the health of the community and symbolize its prominence as a world-famous health resort renowned for its healing mineral waters."

Over the years, Hygeia has been painted various colors, including bronze, several shades of green, and white. Originally, the sculpture had an antique bronze finish with bronze Roman numerals. The clockworks were wound by hand until 1947, and then replaced with four new electric clockworks. The sculpture has been the object of vandalism over the years. The sculpture underwent a year of restoration to commemorate its centennial, which culminated in its rededication in May of 1991. The restoration effort was sponsored by the Manitou Springs Historic Preservation Commission and cosponsored by the Colorado Centennial Chapter #100 of the National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors. The $12,000 cost of the restoration was covered by donations.

For the restoration, new clockworks were purchased from Seiko of Japan, and the lavender and green faces were created by Debra Steedom and John Hyde. Laser enhancement inspired the design of the restored clock faces. Robert Morlan provided castings of the two missing dolphin heads. The dark-green color was chosen to resemble the original antique bronze finish. IAS files contain transcription of a nearby commemoration plaque to Colonel Wheeler. IAS files contain a clipping from The Journal (Colorado Springs, CO), June 4, 1993, which contains a historic photo of the sculpture taken in the early 1900s. IAS files contain a related article from the Gazette-Telegraph (Colorado Springs, CO), May 23, 1965, which discusses the sculpture's history and gives biographical information on Colonel Wheeler. IAS files also contain related articles from the Pikes Peak Journal, May 17, 1991, and the Gazette-Telegraph (Colorado Springs, CO), May 17, 1991, pg. B2. Both articles discuss the history of the sculpture, its restoration, and its rededication ceremony. The 1965 Gazette-Telegraph article notes that the piece was given by Wheeler in 1889.

Save Outdoor Sculpture, Colorado, Colorado Springs survey, 1993.

The Journal (Colorado Springs, CO), June 4, 1993.

The information provided about this artwork was compiled as part of the Smithsonian American Art Museum's Inventories of American Painting and Sculpture database, designed to provide descriptive and location information on artworks by American artists in public and private collections worldwide.

Inventories of American Painting and Sculpture, Smithsonian American Art Museum, P.O. Box 37012, MRC 970, Washington, D.C. 20013-7012

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