The Clock Tower of Historic Old Central High School, Duluth, MN
Rising 230 feet above Duluth’s hillside, the clock tower of Historic Old Central High School has stood as a silent sentinel for 133 years — not just keeping time, but keeping watch. From its perch towering above the city skyline, it has seen the seasons turn, generations pass, and ships sail in and out of the Port of Duluth on Lake Superior.
Since 1892, the tower has kept a steady eye on the harbor below. It has witnessed wooden schooners and wind-filled sails give way to 1,000-foot freighters — steel giants slicing through icy waves with ease. Fog, snow, sunrise, and moonlight have all passed beneath its gaze. Through every change, the clock face has remained, quietly marking each moment.
Its 10-foot-diameter clock, crafted by E. Howard & Co. of Boston and installed in 1893, gives the tower its steady presence. In 1895, five bells from the Buckeye Bell Foundry of Cincinnati were added, ringing out the Westminster Quarters — a soundtrack for the city’s heartbeat.
Designed by Palmer, Hall, & Hunt in the Richardsonian Romanesque style, with contributions from local architects Oliver G. Traphagen and Francis W. Fitzpatrick, Old Central is a landmark of both architecture and memory. The building, which once educated generations of Duluthians has been turned into Zenith DCHS Apartments; 122 luxury 1, 2, 3 bedroom apartments. Read a Destination Duluth story Old Central to Modern Living
Yet it’s the clock tower — looming tall, watching still — that captures the imagination. It has seen students grow and graduate, watched winters howl and summers shimmer, and stood firm while the lake winds roared. Every chime of its bells is a reminder: time moves, but some things endure.
For 133 years, the clock hasn’t simply ticked away the hours. It has witnessed them — over a city, a shoreline, and a harbor alive with history.
