ӽ紫ý's clock tower may not be as famous as Big Ben, but it offers a storied history of its own — one where the changing of its guards and forgotten knowledge have sometimes silenced its chimes until a dedicated caretaker emerges to take up its cause.
“People leave, and the knowledge doesn’t get passed on. That’s how things like this get forgotten,” says Armando Campos, a 16-year veteran employee of Facilities Management.
Campos — formerly an electrician lead and now a building automation system specialist — became the tower’s primary caretaker in 2018. With it, he inherited the original electrical blueprints, now yellowed at the corners. But, as for an instruction manual, Campos had to turn to YouTube tutorials and trial and error to figure out how to get the clock ticking once more.
“We had to learn the system from old manuals and whatever documentation we could find,” Campos says.
Restoring the clock tower’s mechanical systems became even more time-sensitive when the president’s office requested its use for the 2019 remembrance ceremony honoring the victims of the 1 October shooting in Las Vegas. “They wanted to ring the bells for the 2nd anniversary, but they changed plans [because] the amplifier for the tower that needed replacement was cutting it close to arrive for the anniversary,” Campos recalls.
Although it wasn’t used for the ceremony that year, Campos' ingenuity in getting the ӽ紫ý landmark to chime again did mark a first step toward bringing the timepiece back into service.
New Time Keeper Winds Old Tower Back to Life
Fast forward to today, and the clock has a new keeper: Dan Fry. An electrician who’s been at ӽ紫ý for nearly 19 years, Fry built on Campos’ earlier efforts to restore it. Fry oversaw recent updates that had the tower chiming Christmas carols on the hour in December, a reminder of its presence on campus and the work that went into bringing it back from the past.
Maintaining the ӽ紫ý clock tower is less about tradition than steady, hands-on care. While the clock face itself remains original, nearly everything that powers it has been replaced over time. The hands and the music operate on separate systems, a setup that once caused the clock hands to drift. “Since we replaced the motors, it’s been keeping good time,” Fry says.
Modern replacements come with their own challenges, say Campos and Fry. Many original parts are no longer made. “You have to get creative,” Campos explains. “The motors are smaller now, and they don’t last like the old ones did.”
Even the music requires constant attention. Daily Westminster chimes give way to seasonal and holiday songs, all of it programmed and adjusted by hand. “For Christmas it plays all month,” Fry says. “For something like Valentine’s Day, it just plays that day.”
As for taking requests? Unlikely. But, Fry assures you’ll hear a lot more tunes striking a chord across campus from now on.
ӽ紫ý Clock Tower at a Glance
- The clock tower was installed in November 1978.
- It was crafted by the Verdin Company, the same company that made the bells for downtown Las Vegas’ Smith Center.
- The tower was donated by the Murray Petersen Foundation.
- Murray Petersen, the former owner of the Land Ho hotel, gave it to the university as a campus landmark.
- The tower uses updated electronic components to automatically play scheduled chimes and melodies selected from a carillon music catalog.
Roll Credits: The Team Behind the Scenes
To keep ӽ紫ý running like clockwork takes more than skill — it takes teamwork, knowledge, and constant attention to detail. Facilities Management oversees more than 100 buildings and countless systems.
“These services include mechanical teams handling HVAC, plumbing, electrical, and fire safety systems, as well as crews focused on carpentry, painting, locks, and access,” says Michael Bailey, assistant director of Work Management.
Facilities Management also contributes to coordinates campus resources, supports renovations, and plans major events, including visits from federal agencies. They manage access systems and approximately 500 security cameras in partnership with University Police. Staff tackle a variety of behind-the-scenes tasks like building automation systems, generators, elevators, and after-hours emergencies.
“It’s not just fixing things,” Fry says, “it’s knowing how everything connects and making sure it all runs smoothly."
