Do you know what time it is? Well if you are driving through downtown Wheeling, you can check out the stately historic timepiece sitting on the corner of 14th and Main streets. The old Hancher Clock will most likely give you the correct time. 

That is only due to the care the clock has received since its inception in 1889. The clock has a history as storied and diverse as Wheeling itself. A complete history of the clock, including the many repairs it required over the years, can be found in the archives at the Ohio County Public Library in Wheeling. 

For years, Glenn White assured that the clock was properly wound every so many days — a requirement the modern man would never be bothered to do.  

It’s too easy to forget about “looking at your watch” when your cellphone displays that information. Even today’s cellphone/watch devices will speak the time if you program them to do so. I still think a nice watch is a sign of strong character and success.

Wheeling once boasted of having numerous jewelry, watch and clock businesses. At a young age, my dad spent some curious hours looking over the shoulder of “old man Teachout” who operated a watch repair shop in the Centre Market. My dad would pick up some pointers for fixing watches and an occasional clock. In his later years, he would tinker with old watches that required winding every day. I think he enjoyed the challenge and working with his hands.

That Hancher Clock is one of the finest remnants of Wheeling’s past that remains constant in its duty. While city fathers grapple with giving Wheeling a new pathway to its future, the Hancher Clock speaks volumes of what should be preserved and appreciated for future generations.

As a lifelong resident of the Ohio Valley, I have often been criticized for writing too much about the past. I just think that there is a large segment of the local population that understands, like me, that you have to know where you came from to know how to look to the future.

Let’s face it. The changes seniors have witnessed over their lives are nothing short of remarkable. And it hasn’t been easy to go with the flow of all those changes. That’s not to say we don’t want to see our valley thrive and grow. We would just like to know that some things will remain timeless — like a clock.

P.S. Happy Father’s Day to all the dads out there. You are so very important in the lives of your children — more today than ever before. 

Heather Ziegler can be reached via email at hziegler@theintelligencer.net.