Have you ever seen the Colgate clock?

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ABANDONED BUILDING ALERT: WARNING: Under no circumstances should you enter this property. By doing so you risk bodily harm and/or prosecution for trespassing on private property.

Indiana's Colgate Clock

Clarksville, Indiana is home to an abandoned factory that was once the Colgate factory.  While the building sits empty, the giant clock that has sat on top of it for almost a century is still there.  The 40-foot clock stares out over the Ohio River, and has been doing so since 1924.

Photo by Lisa Witt
Photo by Lisa Witt
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Atlas Obscura explains:

The Colgate Clock is one of the world’s largest single-facing clocks, with each hand weighing in at over 500 pounds. It was built to celebrate the company’s centennial in 1906. (For the record, Colgate produced its first toothpaste in 1873.) The clock sat on top of the company’s Jersey City facility until it was replaced and moved to Clarksville in 1924.

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Google Maps
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A Condemned Factory

The old Colgate Factory closed in 2008, and ever since the building has sat vacant. Before being home to the Colgate-Palmolive factory, the building was originally used as Indiana's first prison.   In 2022 the decision was made to condemn the old building.   According to an article from WLKY the decision was made to condemn the property after the Clarksville Town Council decided they didn't want to let the property sit and decay for another decade.   The article explains that the goal is to preserve the historically significant building and not tear it down.  WLKY has the full story from last summer, here.

Photo by Lisa Witt
Photo by Lisa Witt
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A Truly Magnificent Building

The building itself has so much history and is truly a magnificent sight.  I really hope Clarksville is able to restore this building, or at least keep it around because it has a lot of historical significance.  Recently Lisa Witt was able to snap some photos from outside of the old Colgate Factory and her photos were eye-opening.  Thank you so much Lisa for allowing me to share your photos!

Incredible Photos of Indiana's Abandoned Colgate Factory

Clarksville, Indiana is home to an abandoned factory that was once the Colgate factory. While the building sits empty, the giant clock that has sat on top of it for almost a century is still there. All photos were taken by Lisa Witt unless otherwise specified.

ABANDONED BUILDING ALERT: WARNING: Under no circumstances should you enter this property. By doing so you risk bodily harm and/or prosecution for trespassing on private property.

 

 

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