About Those Missing Post Office Clocks…

This historic photo shows two clock faces mounted to the exterior of the U.S. Post Office in downtown Los Alamos. It is suspected the clocks disappeared sometime in the 1970s-1980s. Courtesy photo
 
By DIMAS M. CHAVEZ
Los Alamos
 
I moved to Los Alamos as a youngster arriving Aug. 15, 1943. Our home was one of the original log cabins located not far from the Fuller Lodge, and I recall vividly watching the construciton of the Community Center, which included the new Post Office, and the famous two clocks.
 
For keeping time, we had a steam plant located not far from Ashley Pond that had a high pitched stream opertated whisle like you use to see on the old train locomotives, and that whistle kept the community well infomred as to the time of day as the first whistle went off around 8:00 a.m., then followed throughout the day at noon, for the workers to break for lunch, 1 p.m. to return to work, and 5 p.m. marking end of the work day.
 
These two visable exterior clocks became the focus for those in that area wanting to know the time of day. I remained in Los Alamos throughout my school years (1-12) and continued thereafter while I worked at the lab and attend college. I now live in Potomac, Md. To my surprise I had totally forgotten about those two clocks until I read about them this morning in the Los Alamos Daily Post.
 
As a suggestion in helping to find out what happened to those clocks I suggest you inquire with some of the former Post Office employees which some have remained in the Los Alamos or in the Espanola area. The Postmistress at the time was Mrs. Gonzales who the last I heard was still alive and living in San Pedro, near Espanola. I have forgotten her first name but there is a former classmmate of mine, Tony Lujan, who lives in Los Alamos and his brother worked at the Post Office who is also in Los Alamos. You might also check with whomever has all the Zia historical documents as it was Zia and McKee who constructed the Post Office and installed the clocks.
 
I wish you the best of luck in locating the clocks, and would love to see them back where they belong.
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