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Old Town Clock

When the four faces of Provincetown’s Town Clock took to disagreeing with one another, they started one of the old town’s liveliest Town Hall debates in many a year.

They reminded one of the man who was asked why the town clock had four faces, anyway. He answered, “So that more than one person can look at it at the same time.” Another was reminded of the old conundrum, “If the town clock runs eight days without winding, how long would it run if it were wound?”

Provincetown’s town clock is an eight-day clock, and is wound by hand. At times the high winds have caught the hands and thrown the gears out of mesh. There is some danger incurred in winding the clock. Once one of the large and heavy weights came right through the side of the building.

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