Remember When...tower clocks were made in Milwaukee?

Matthias Schwalbach & Sons Star Tower Clock Works manufactured church and tower clocks in this building - built by its owner in 1887 - at 426 9th St. (now the 1300 block of N. 9th St.). Schwalbach first established his own business in 1873 after having been an important contributor to the invention of both the typewriter and the sewing machine. Schwalbach built and installed more than 55 tower clocks in 11 states from Oregon to New York. Schwalbach tower clocks that are still in working order today include those atop St. Josephat's Basilica, St. Stanislaus Church and St. Lucas Evangelical Lutheran Church, all on Milwaukee's South Side. Photograph and information courtesy of Marcella Schwalbach McKenna and Grace Schwalbach MacKey, with additional information from the Milwaukee Public Library local history collection.