Barnes County Museum: Keeping track of time

The Barnes County Historical Society Lecture Series Season 21 Presents: Tom Overn: “Keeping Track of Time; The Vanishing Art of Basic Clock Repair” 7PM Thursday, April 21st at the Barnes County Museum.

This presentation includes a condensed history of timekeeping and its methods throughout the ages. A short explanation will be given on several timepieces and their restoration.

Tom Overn’s interest in old clocks began in 1969 when installing a new furnace at the Kathryn, Post Office. An office clock that had once been the timekeeper for the post office was found in the dirt under the floor in a crawlspace.

The clock needed extensive repair, and so began a hobby that has lasted 53 years, and still gives him an up feeling when a non-working clock comes back to life.

Tom’s grandfather, Christian Overn, and his family came to Oakhill Township in 1882, a family of silver and goldsmiths, and clockmakers. Christian sold his shop in Oslo, Norway, and used the profit to move his family of eight children to the state of Wisconsin. Hearing of land to homestead in North Dakota, they moved to Section 11, southwest ¼, where a sod house was constructed.

By 1886, some buildings in Kathryn were being built. So the shop building was constructed out of almost any materials that were available. Living quarters were on the main floor and a shop with a driveline and workstations were put together in the basement. All work needed daylight, so large windows were installed on the south and west sides of the building.

The work comes with a motto “If you don’t have time to do it right, when will you have time to do it over?”

The public is cordially invited

All Lectures are at the Barnes County Historical Society Museum and held in conjunction with Valley City State University. They are free and open to the public.

For more information contact Wes Anderson at 701-845-0966.