At precisely 1:00 p.m. today, I had the honor of throwing the switch and restarting the King Street Station clocks. It was a tremendous moment and a great celebration of the restoration work that we started. Here are some pictures of the event. You can also read more about the work at King Street Station.

King Street Station opened to the public in May 1906. Reed and Stem, the architectural firm responsible for New York City’s Grand Central Terminal, designed this station.

The clock tower was modeled after the San Marco bell tower in Venice, Italy. In 1973 the building was placed on the National Register of Historic Places.

For more than 100 years, King Street Station has served as a gateway for millions of travelers. After years of heavy use and neglect, the station is undergoing a major renovation to restore the building’s historic character and grandeur.

After the station’s transfer from the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway to the city in 2008, the city received a letter from members of the National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors indicating their interest in helping repair the station clock. Norm Nelson and Paul Bellamy worked tirelessly for months.

Set your watch: Flipping the switch at 1:00 p.m. making the four tower clocks operational once again.

Looking up at the repaired clock tower glass tiles.

Touring the restored outside balcony where an unsightly microwave dish was removed.

The newly-restored clock faces are backlit at night.