Sidewalk Clock at 1501 3rd Avenue, Manhattan
Why it's listed
A cast-iron sidewalk clock stands about 36 inches from the curb in front of 1501 Third Avenue in Manhattan, on a block of four- and five-story commercial buildings with ground-floor shops. Roughly 16 feet tall, it has a panelled rectangular pedestal with an access panel, a fluted column with a crocket capital, and a round, two-faced dial casing shaped like a pocket watch, complete with winding stem and ring. The dials keep their original Roman numerals and hands. Made by the E. Howard Clock Company between about 1880 and 1930, it was built both to tell time and to draw attention to a neighboring jewelry store. Its original clockworks were removed around 1970, and it is now inactive. It is considered significant as a rare surviving New York City example of its type, one of two sidewalk clocks left on Third Avenue, and one of two intact city clocks using a widely popular E. Howard pedestal and column design.
Significance in brief: The nomination calls it a rare surviving example in New York City of an urban American sidewalk clock from the 1880-1930 period. Its dial casing is modelled after a pocket watch, which expressed its original purpose of advertising an adjacent jewelry store. It keeps its original appearance and detailing despite losing its clockworks. It is one of two sidewalk clocks left on Third Avenue and one of two intact clocks in the city of a popular E. Howard pedestal and column design.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 85000926, listed April 18, 1985. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 1501 3rd Ave., New York |
|---|---|
| County | Manhattan |
| Listed | April 18, 1985 |
| Reference number | 85000926 |
| Resource type | Object |
| Architect / builder | E. Howard Clock Company, manufacturer |
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Art |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Present use is inactive; the original clockworks were removed around 1970. The form lists deterioration as a threat. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | Central Park |
| Coordinates | 40.77805, -73.96636 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 85000926.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.