HOPKINSVILLE, KY (CHRISTIAN COUNTY NOW) – “Essentially it’s just a shell of a building with a hole in the side,” said museum director Alissa Keller to Hopkinsville City Council this week.
Located across the street from the Museums of Historic Hopkinsville-Christian County, the clock tower sits on top of the Woody Winfree Fire-Transportation Museum. The clock tower was first damaged in a storm on March 21, 2023, and was further damaged by a different storm months later. Straight line winds ripped the side wall off and damaged the actual clock face.
The museum has attempted to sort through insurance and construction bids for the past year and is finally seeing progress. Keller told the council they will spend two days this week packing up and clearing out that floor of the building to prepare for impending construction.
Since the building was constructed in 1905, they decided to hire an architect in November. They received the architects plans in February and were able request construction bids in March.
“The museum wanted to work with an architect because of the quality of that building, because of its historic nature, and to maintain its historic integrity,” said Keller. “There is an easement on the property that states any addition work that must be done must follow the secretary of the interiors standards for rehabilitation.”
Keller emphasized to the council that the process has taken much longer than any of them expected, but she will continue to present updates as they occur.
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