Horatio McGeorge designed the Zion tower with supports for a bell and a clock, as he did one year later for the New Lisbon Church up the valley. Shortly after Zion was completed, the bell arrived. Both Zion’s and New Lisbon’s bell were cast by the Whitechapel Bell Foundry which cast The Liberty Bell in Philadelphia. The bell was rung three times a day at sunrise, noon and 9:00 PM. Zion kept time for the village.
In 1849, the village bought a clock for Zion’s tower. The parish remained responsible for keeping time for the village. Zion installed a new clock in the 1930’s replacing the one bought by the Town in 1849. The clock regulates the bell, which now rings on the hour. Zion’s Tower Clock is one of 5 remaining manually wound clocks in upstate New York. The tower clock is wound twice a week, 52 weeks/year by 10 stalwart volunteers who climb the ladder to the belfry two times a week 12 months/year.
