FORT MYERS BEACH, Fla. – If you’ve been to Fort Myers Beach, you’ve seen the clock before. The tall, blue timepiece is the center of the square. It’s now gone, destroyed by Hurricane Ian.
“It’s more than a clock. It’s a beacon,” said Jeffrey Thurner.
In a place where time seemingly never even mattered, that clock always watched over us.
It was an icon, a staple of Southwest Florida. Now, just like many of our favorite bars, shops and restaurants, we can only find a little piece that will take us back to the good times.
“It’s devastating,” said Bob Delaney while looking at the damage. “I’ve never seen anything like this in my life.”
If you take a walk through Times Square, you’ll find that the once lively community center is now the epicenter of our worst disaster.
“You see things on television and you see pictures, see things on the internet until you see it in person, you can’t imagine what the scope of devastation is really like,” Delaney said.
You used to be able to look up and see the block. Now to see what remains, you have to look down to see just the concrete base and electrical wires exposed.
“This is just absolutely unbelievable,” Thurner said.
The clock has been through hell and back, literally.
When plans were announced to revamp Times Square and replace the clock back in 2020, the beach town went berserk.
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“Let it be known throughout the town that the clock is going to stay,” said Mayor Ray Murphy at the time.
And when the clock broke down in early 2022, the town wasted no time fixing it.
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“This was our Fort Myers Beach “Southernmost Point” if you will,” Thurner said.
It’s exactly why the company that manufactured the clock, Verdin Bells and Clocks, wants to help replace it.
They shared this message on social media:
Thank you for reaching out regarding the damage suffered by the beloved Times Square Clock at Fort Myers Beach during Hurricane Ian.
The Verdin Company is touched by the outpouring of concern for this iconic clock. We know that our unique, decorative clocks are a proud landmark and symbol of continuity for many communities. We will do our very best to help Fort Myers replace the Times Square Clock and restore the vibrancy of Times Square.
Our Florida representative has been in touch with the appropriate Fort Myer officials to offer our assistance in replacing the clock. We appreciate that many emergency response teams are working day and night to help the people of Fort Myers recover from this tragic event. When the time is right to begin work on the clock, The Verdin Company will be ready to help.
Our hearts are with Fort Myers and all the Florida communities that suffered so much damage during the hurricane. We look forward to working together to replace the Times Square Clock and restore the sense of spirit that this iconic clock brings to Fort Myers.
The Verdin Company
“That would be a great boom to local spirit to have that rebuilt,” Thurner said.
“Maybe that’s when we’ll know that Fort Myers Beach is back,” Delaney added. “When the clock is back.”
A town spokesperson said they have not been able to locate the clock. There’s a real chance that they never will.
But will they build it back? That’s a question only time will tell.
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