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By Theodore
Fischer, Washington Sidewalk
Timekeeper for the
nation. The
Directorate of the Administration of Time, which keeps the official U.S.
time, operates out of the U.S. Naval Observatory, right beside Al
Gore's house. Synchronize your watches here.
High time. The highest clock in town is on the 315-foot tower of
the Old Post Office, which will offer the loftiest view of the Mall
when the Washington Monument closes for repairs on Jan. 12.
Old time. The oldest clock on the Mall is on the central tower of
the 1855 Romanesque Revival-style Smithsonian Castle.
Time off. The Main Hall of Union Station is a reasonably
accurate re-creation of Rome's Baths of Diocletian. Don't have a cow
because the clock is inscribed with a "IIII" instead of the
correct Roman numeral "IV." It's an old European clock-making
tradition.
Art deco time. Check out the sleek analog timepiece at 11th Street
and New York Avenue N.W. on the restored 1939-40 former Greyhound Bus
Terminal.
Church time. Eyes heavenward to the steeple of the New York
Avenue Presbyterian Church – the 1950s version of the so-called
Lincoln Church – two blocks from the White House.
Daffy
time. It's
time for wascally wabbits and puddy tats outside the Warner Bros. Studio
Store at 11th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue N.W., across from the street
scene at Planet Hollywood.
Navy time. A wide selection of ships' clocks (with and without
bells), plus nautical tables, ships' wheels and other seafaring items, is
on sale at Ship's Hatch (The Underground, Crystal City,
Arlington, Va., 703-413-6289; and 10376 Main St., Fairfax, Va.,
703-691-1670).
George Washington time. Washington's original sundial stands amid
the grass oval behind his home at Mount Vernon. His French mantel
clock is on display in the bedroom where he died.
Hands of Time. The name of the Savage Mill shop that carries more
than 1,000 new and antique clocks (Savage Mill, 800 Foundry St., Savage,
Md., 301-206-3281).
Victorian time. View time gone by on the ornate clock above the
restored 1880 National Savings and Trust Co. (now a Crestar Bank)
on the northeast corner of 15th Street and New York Avenue N.W.
Sick time. Grandfather, wall, 400-day, ship's bell – the Maryland
Clock Co. (Route 301 and Heritage Boulevard, Bowie, Md., 301-262-5300)
repairs them all. |
