Photo Challenge #427

There’s an old saying: “No publicity is bad publicity. Just spell my name right.”

A corollary might be: “It doesn’t matter if you’re the ugliest building in Westport. Everyone knows you.”

Everyone — well, 24 readers, which is a ton for this contest — recognized last week’s Photo Challenge.

Ed Simek’s shot showed the sculpture that — for half a century or so — has sat on the side of what nearly everyone who has seen it calls “the ugliest building in Westport.” (Click here to see.)

And — because the location in the heart of Saugatuck, near the train station, by Exit 17, a few yards from I-95 — is so visible, at some point everyone sees it.

Readers described it in many ways: near the old Arrow restaurant, across from the now-closed Tarry Lodge, by the station, next to Luciano Park, even (most accurately) 21 Charles Street.

No one though said, “Hey, the building is beautiful!”

A few folks pointed out that the artwork’s creator — Harvey Weiss — is a noted sculptor.

A few also asked what would happen to the building if the Hamlet at Saugatuck project is approved.

The bad news: It’s not going anywhere.

The good news: It will be re-skinned.

Congratulations to Fred Cantor, John Richers, Elaine Marino, Bill Dohme, Lynn Untermeyer Miller, Kate Caputo Squyres, Vanessa Bradford, Scott Brodie, Ken Stamm, Peter Barlow, Lucy Kiermaier, Bobbie Herman, Kenny Gilbertie, Suzanne Warner Raboy, Alicia Kaye Kronick, Tom Feeley, John Lisee, Richard Hyman, Clay Yalof, Brooks Sumberg, Michael Calise, Amy Schneider, Sharon Paulsen and Howard Potter.

You sure know ugly when you see it.

This week’s Photo Challenge shows a handsome grandfather clock. If you know where in Westport you’d find it, click “Comments” below.

(Photo/Tom Lowrie)

21 responses to “Photo Challenge #427

  1. Jack Backiel

    Yeah… my parents’ clock at 114 South Morningside Drive. My son has it now. (Why is it I have never gotten a photo challenge right?)

  2. Susan Iseman

    Town Hall.

  3. Dick Lowenstein

    Women’s Club on Imperial Ave

  4. Barbara Sherburne '67

    It looks like my aunt and uncle’s clock, Lou and Guy Robbins. My total guess would be the Westport Historical Society.

  5. Dick Lowenstein

    Womens Club on Imperial Ave

  6. Barbara Wiederecht

    At the Y.

  7. Brian Larson

    The YMCA

  8. Senior Center

  9. Jeff Loechner

    Entrance to the Y

  10. Seth schachter

    Greens farms train station

  11. Wow — who knew there were so many grandfather clocks around town?!

    This one is at the Westport Weston Family YMCA – just inside the entrance, next to the reception desk and the new wall display honoring the Bedford family.

  12. Shirlee Gordon

    Westport Woman’s Club

  13. Jalna Jaeger

    Lobby of the Westport YMCA

  14. Richard Hyman

    Westport Weston YMCA lobby.

  15. Elisabeth Keane

    Even if it isn’t running, it still is right twice a day.

  16. Matt McGrath

    YMCA

  17. Steve Stein

    No idea where this clock is!!

    BUT- How can you tell if a grandfather clock isn’t running from a still photograph? You can’t hear if it is ticking or see if the pendulum swinging! Just a perplexed thought.

    • Brad Muscott

      Good question, Steve. From what I can see in the lo-res photo, this is probably a 3-train movement — time, chime, strike — and as such, if the clock was running, the weights would be nearly at the same height, even if it were only time and strike.

      The other possibility is that the clock has been set not to chime or strike which would also explain the differing heights of the two visible weights.

      And, there are other possibilities. But from my experience, and from what I can see in the photo, my guess is that the clock is not running either due to mechanical problems or just not winding.