Rotary Club Century Clock in downtown Bowling Green commemorates service

As residents drive by 922 State St., I hope they see the new addition to downtown Bowling Green. The Bowling Green Rotary Club placed a new Century Clock in this location near Fountain Square Park. This project extended across two years of fundraising and was accomplished with the assistance of many community individuals and organizers.

The Bowling Green Rotary Club was chartered in September 1920 and has continuously served this community for the past century. Rotarians Ben Smith and Travis Keller brought the idea of a Century Clock commemorating this milestone to the Rotary executive board in 2019 and, after club approval, we began raising funds within the club. The pandemic slowed our progress but never stopped us.

This clock was built and delivered by the Verdin Company of Cincinnati, which has created quality clocks since 1842.

Warren County Judge-Executive and Rotarian Mike Buchanon and Warren Fiscal Court were instrumental in relocating the original clock from the State Street site to a new home in front of the Warren County Courthouse. Mike Murphy and his crew with Scott & Murphy created a new base for the clock. Rotarians Lloyd Williford and Tommy Crow of Scottsville engraved the granite pedestal with the Rotary emblem and commemorative message. BGMU stored the clock until placement was ready and Rotarian Mark Iverson supplied crews to erect the clock earlier this year. The mayor and Bowling Green city commissioners voted to accept the clock as a gift to Bowling Green from the Rotary Club.

The Bowling Green Rotary Club meets every Wednesday at noon at Bowling Green Country Club. Our organization is proud to have served this community for the past 100 years and looks forward to continuing that service in the future.

In return, we thank this community for its support of our organization and expressed that gratitude with the presentation of this Centennial Clock.

Alan W. Palmer

Bowling Green

– Palmer is president of the Bowling Green Rotary Club.