For years, visitors to 21 N. Park Street in Madison have admired the distinctive Bucky Badger clock above the entrance. But with Bucky’s arms stuck in place, it couldn’t show the correct time. Now, thanks to a dedicated building manager and the skilled work of several contributors, the campus treasure is ticking once again!
Two Bucky clocks made by the university during the 1950s, and they’ve been campus landmark since then. One Bucky clock was originally located at an old bank building at on University Avenue. When that building was demolished, the clock was saved and moved to its current home.
Matthew Hanson, who served as the building manager for 21 N. Park St. often asked why the clock wasn’t working, only to hear it had been that way for “a long time”. Walking by the clock several times a day, his desire to see the clock working again only grew over time. For Matthew, it wasn’t just about helping students, staff and visitors tell the time as they passed by; it was about honoring a piece of campus history.
So, Matthew decided to take the initiative and partnered with the university’s Physical Plant to get Bucky moving again!
Thomas Weber, an electrician with the electric shop, was one of several Physical Plant workers who helped restore the clock. With help from the sheet metal shop, paint shop, and electric shop, this team was able to modernize the clock’s system adding these new features:
- A new frame with LED lights and a new glass covering.
- A new clock mechanism to automatically adjust for daylight saving time.
- A light sensor that automatically detects darkness and adjusts the lighting
