The clock atop Second Baptist Church in New Albany underwent restoration work inside its historic steeple after a timepiece stopped working last summer and was ultimately deemed unrepairable. The church, long known locally as the Town Clock Church, sits directly across the Ohio River from Louisville, and for generations its steeple clock served as more than decoration — it was a working timepiece that riverboat captains and steamboat crews once used to set their pocket watches.
According to WAVE News, crews deployed a tall crane to lift workers to the face of the steeple, where they began installing new clock mechanisms and hands. The new hardware came from the Verdin Company of Cincinnati, which manufactured a state-of-the-art replacement mechanism for the church after the original was found beyond repair. Verdin is a manufacturer of bells, carillons and clocks. It was founded in 1842 by French immigrant brothers and installed the first tower clock in the United States at Old St. Mary's Church in Cincinnati.
Crews also installed modern lighting for the steeple as part of the project, which will illuminate the structure day and night going forward, the station's report notes. Friends of the Town Clock Church, the nonprofit that has led preservation efforts at the site, partnered with Verdin on the installation. Per the same account, the clock will continue to watch over the New Albany community and tell its story for years to come.
A Landmark With Underground Railroad History
Second Baptist Church's significance goes well beyond timekeeping. The congregation and its building served as a crucial Underground Railroad station before and during the Civil War, and the steeple itself is described as having served as a guiding light for enslaved individuals seeking freedom across the river from Kentucky, per the same report. That legacy received federal recognition on July 5, 2017, when the National Park Service designated the church an official Underground Railroad Network to Freedom site, as reported by AP News, citing the congregation's documented anti-slavery preaching and assistance to freedom seekers.
The building itself predates that designation by more than a century and a half. It was originally constructed in Greek Revival style between 1849 and 1852 by Second Presbyterian Church, designed by New Albany master builder Isaac P. Smith, according to Southern Indiana Living Magazine. On December 10, 1889, the building was sold to an African American congregation that became Second Baptist Church. The structure is a contributing property to the New Albany Downtown Historic District.
Decades of Community-Driven Restoration
The new clock mechanism is the latest chapter in a restoration story stretching back more than a decade. A June 28, 1915, lightning strike split the church's original steeple, and the structure was later removed and replaced with a cupola, according to Indiana Landmarks. The nonprofit Friends of the Town Clock Church has led preservation efforts at the site.
The church's preservation story also includes work on its interior. The Community Foundation of Southern Indiana has described how the church's Ohio River-facing tower could be seen by boat crews on the Ohio River.
What's Next for Visitors
The clock project follows a WHAS11 report on a surpassed fundraising goal. The group has continued its preservation efforts.
For those hoping to see the restored clock and steeple up close, the church has scheduled quarterly public tours for 2026, with open dates set for September 12 and November 14. The tours include the church's documented Underground Railroad history, giving visitors a chance to learn more about one of New Albany's most enduring symbols of community preservation.
