Rosalia’s historic clock undergoes makeover

Ray Reyna and Clarence Forech of Black’s Painting in Spokane applied a new coat of paint to the Rosalia Street clock last week.

Just in time for the annual Rosalia Battle Days, the historic Harthill clock in Rosalia has received a makeover.

The four-sided cast iron clock received a new black and gold coat of paint about two weeks ago.

Council member Robert Ward said the clock face had begun to rust and deteriorate. He said Black’s Painting of Spokane did a great job on the clock.

“They really liked what they were going to do,” he said. “They were really impressed with it.”

The total cost of the fresh coat of paint was just over $3,100, and it is expected to last about 30 years.

Ward has been taking care of the clock for almost two years now, winding it about once a week and taking care of small, routine maintenance as it arises. He recently installed a new lightbulb for it.

“Now we have a clock that’s lit up at night,” he said. “It looks beautiful.”

The clock has a rich history. It was donated to the community by the late Cliff Harthill, who was a local clock maker and repairman. Harthill acquired the clock in 1960 from the city of Portland for $1,500 after it stopped working. He initially placed the clock outside of his shop and museum, then located near Rosalia School. However, he later moved his shop into the main part of town and brought the clock with him, donating it to the town and mounting it on the street corner.

The clock has very much become an icon for the town, even gracing Rosalia’s town letterhead. It has now been repaired numerous times in order to keep the historic artifact downtown and functioning. It was first repaired in 1991 after it stopped working and then again in 2004.

In 2004, then-Mayor Ken Jacobs shared the history of the timepiece.

“The clock was built between 1880 and 1905 and was originally bought by Portland, Oregon. It was the official timepiece for the Lewis and Clark Expo in 1905.”

When the clock was repaired in 2004, the town fronted the cost of the $10,000 repair.

As an icon of time, it’s become an important piece of Rosalia’s history and a staple of the downtown area.

“We have one of the finest clocks in the whole area,” said Ward. “We’re very fortunate to have such a beautiful piece.”