One of the rewarding aspects of my role as historian and educator is when I’m contacted by people asking, “would you be interested in …??”
One such referral came recently from Dan Olszewski of Madison. Dan, a native of Withee, and son of Frank Olzewski (long time executive of the old State Bank of Withee). Would you be interested in …? It turns out that Dan had in his possession an old clock that once hung in the lobby of the old State Bank of Withee. A building that has long since disappeared from the landscape.
The entire Olszewski family of Withee have long been advocates and champions of local history preservation and education. It is only fitting that a significant piece of Withee history such as this clock be preserved and made available for public viewing. As one history fan said when being told of the clock: “What time is it? It’s Withee Time.”
Thank you, Dan, and Olszewski family!
In his own words, by Dan Olszewski:
“If you were a customer of the State Bank of Withee during the 1970s, you likely remember the steady click-clack of the “Flipper” clock in the lobby.
“Perched on a second-floor shelf behind the teller windows at the old Bank building (on the SW corner of 1st and Division), this unique timepiece was more than just a clock; it was a rotating gallery of local commerce. Manufactured by the Electric Ad Clock Company of Chicago, the device paired an Art Deco clockface with a clever mechanical display. Approximately every twenty seconds, the advertisements would flip to reveal the name of a different neighborhood business.
“For the children watching from the lobby, the real magic was the glow. Each advertisement was hand-painted with fluorescent pigments that vibrated with color under an internal neon tube. In the 1970s — the era of the blacklight poster — this luminous display was the height of “cool.”
As time marched on, however, the neon tube eventually flickered out. Many of the featured companies closed or changed hands, rendering the advertisements outdated. Eventually, the clock was retired and tucked away in the back of a closet.
Today, the names on those rotating panels serve as a “Who’s Who” of Withee’s business heritage. They spark fond memories of local staples like the Withee Mercantile, Milton Krom’s Drug Store, Michur Implement, Don’s North Star, O-W Motors, the Withee Feed Mill, Ryona Garage and Body Shop, and the Midway Bar.
“While the Electric Ad Clock Company is no longer in business, its history is also a point of interest. Founded in the 1930s, the company held numerous patents for these specialized rotating displays. Though it has been decades since they manufactured a clock, their original building still stands in downtown Chicago.
“The “Flipper” clock has finally found a permanent home at the Owen-Withee Area Historical Society. It stands as a vibrant reminder of the town’s past, and we hope visitors will enjoy the fond memories it evokes of these local businesses and their proprietors.”
The Flipper Clock is on permanent display at the O-W History Center in Owen. Open by appointment.