Friends of the Town Clock Church

Friends of the Town Clock Church Our mission: Educate - Promote - Preserve, by telling the story of this significant structure in New Albany, Indiana & its role in the Underground Railroad

Why is the structure important? The Town Clock Church is a building of special significance. It was built by New Albany master builder and architect, Issac P. Smith, between the years 1849 and 1852. It is an excellent example of the Greek Revival style of architecture. The site was a documented station on the Underground Railroad. It was originally built for the congregation of the Second Presbyte

rian Church. The Second Baptist Church congregation has owned the structure since 1889. The original steeple has been noted to have reached 160’ high and was historically a landmark for river boat pilots on the Ohio River. The Town Clock Church is a New Albany icon, critical to defining and preserving our special sense of place. The original tower was struck by lightning in 1914 and replaced with a cupola. A replica of the original tower was installed in 2016. The 100 year old cupola was saved and is now the roof of the gazebo in the Underground Railroad gardens. The church has been extensively Restored back to its original look when it was built in 1852. Our goal is to preserve this important building for future generations as well as to tell the story of the Underground Railroad in the metro area.

Come celebrate with us!
09/05/2026

Come celebrate with us!

Donations to the Town Clock Church through Give for Good Louisville on September 10th will be matched! Help us raise th...
08/31/2026

Donations to the Town Clock Church through Give for Good Louisville on September 10th will be matched! Help us raise the needed funds to make the historic building handicap accessible. Make a gift at

The Second Presbyterian Church...

Give for Good Louisville on September 10th is a wonderful way to engage the community and provide an opportunity for giv...
08/25/2026

Give for Good Louisville on September 10th is a wonderful way to engage the community and provide an opportunity for giving to great causes. The Friends of the Town Clock Church is participating and would like to encourage the southern Indiana and Louisville Metro community to consider a gift to benefit this historic and iconic Underground Railroad church.  Your gift will help with the cost of a new clock and bell mechanism to ensure that the hours ring out for decades to come, just as they did before, during, and after the Civil War. Your gift will be matched! Mark September 10 on your calendar and make a gift!

So grateful for the many who made the repair of the clock at the iconic Town Clock church possible.
08/23/2026

So grateful for the many who made the repair of the clock at the iconic Town Clock church possible.

We are excited to have the clock working, the bells, ringing, and steeple lights back on at the historic town, Clock chu...
08/23/2026

We are excited to have the clock working, the bells, ringing, and steeple lights back on at the historic town, Clock church. Thanks to all who help make this a reality: Community Foundation of Southern Indiana- $10,000 gift, City Of New Albany-$15,000 gift, Padgett company, Irv Stumler, and Chauncey Roberts. Before it was finished, a $35,000 budget budgeted project quickly became a $55,000 project! We welcome any donations to help us to defray the cost of this project.  Donations can be made by contacting Jerry Finn, board treasurer, 502–645–2332.

Town Clock Church of New Albany Completed in 1852, this truly significant structure is connected to the Underground Railroad in the metro area. The building served as a beacon of hope to freedom seekers across the river. It was a connecting point between cities in a slave and free state, and a safe....

08/20/2026

Exciting special program the Frazier History Museum is rolling out on September 15 as part of Underground Railroad Month. It’s in conjunction with their exhibit Louisville to Liberty: The Blackburns’ Journey, an exhibit that took three years to bring here.

It’s the story of Thornton and Lucie Blackburn, an enslaved couple who found freedom in Canada. It’s a true story I first learned about when Rachel Platt started working at the Frazier. The education staff was passionate about it and gave her the book I’ve Got a Home in Glory Land, written by Canadian author Karolyn Smardz Frost.

She’s an archaeologist who in 1985 conducted a dig at the site of the Blackburns’ home in Toronto, the first Black history site dug in Canada. The project received international attention.

The enslaved couple found freedom in Toronto in the early 1830s after a daring escape from Louisville and a jail break in Detroit. They helped make Canada a safe haven for fugitive slaves and returned to Kentucky to rescue family.

Smardz Frost spent years piecing their story together. Now we want to share it with you.

She’ll join the Frazier on September 15, and so will our partners Hannah Drake and Josh Miller from the (Un)Known Project and Lamont Collins from Roots 101. They all flew to Toronto in 2023 to learn more about Thornton and Lucie, and just recently were able to get many of their artifacts to the United States for the very first time.

The Blackburns are an important part of our history; their names are unknown no more. Learning about them has had a profound impact on each of us who will be part of our program. Artist Hannah Drake will perform original poetry inspired by Lucie. Go to their website to purchase your ticket, which is the cost of admission to the Frazier.

Each Wednesday at 1 p.m., they have a special tour of Louisville to Liberty, so please visit the Frazier for that as well.
Www.Fraziermuseum.org

The bells will ring again! The repair of the clock is scheduled for July 30th and 31st. The mechanisms have been shipped...
07/27/2026

The bells will ring again! The repair of the clock is scheduled for July 30th and 31st. The mechanisms have been shipped and are at Second Baptist Church. The clock mechanism and installation by Verden company is $30,000. Electrical installation is $17,000.

We are grateful to our donors so far: the Community Foundation of Southern Indiana for $10,000 and the City of New Albany for $15,000. We will need to use $22,000. If you care to contribute to the cost of this repair, contact Jerry Finn at 502-645-2332 or go to our web site townclockchurch.org.

With gratitude to a generous community, the clock on the historic Town Clock Church will be running again soon. A $10,0...
07/15/2026

With gratitude to a generous community, the clock on the historic Town Clock Church will be running again soon. A $10,000 gift from the Community Foundation of Southern Indiana and a $15,000 gift from the City of New Albany will nearly cover the $35k restoration cost of the project. It is called the Town Clock Church because for decades it was the official timepiece for the city, and it is said riverboat captains would set their pocket watches by the time on the clock. Also, for many years before the clock was mechanized, the city paid someone to manually wind the clock twice a week!

Town Clock Church public tours are planned for September 12th and November 14th. Mark you calendars and tell your frine...
07/15/2026

Town Clock Church public tours are planned for September 12th and November 14th. Mark you calendars and tell your frineds!

Address

300 E Main Street
New Albany, IN
47150

Telephone

+15026452332

Website

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