There is a place I go to travel back in time. A quick walk along the same roads and paths through the forest where I stand and admire, just as my ancestors did almost one hundred years ago. My journey is both practical and functional. As I stand and admire the surrounding nature, I gaze upon a wonderful work of art that is manmade and placed as a tribute with practicality. I spend some time admiring the fine lines of the granite monument that was erected in East Concord as a tribute to Ebenezer Eastman, the first colonial settler of Concord. This beautiful monument is quite practical too because it is graced with four clocks to provide the time to all who care to glance. It has been said this Eastman monument is the first American monument that offers beauty and usefulness without distracting from the value of art.

The Eastman Monument dates back to a festive event in the year 1924 where many attended this monument dedication. It was the Eastman Family Memorial Association that erected this monument, stating that Ebenezer was the first settler. There were in fact other settlers in our town prior to Ebenezer, people such as Henry Rolfe and Richard Urann that arrived the year prior to Ebenezer Eastman to work their land and settle. The Eastman family provided this monument as a tribute to their ancestors and invested in great quality to ensure the monument would survive the cruel New England winters of the future. The monument was designed by a known gentleman named A. Fehmer of the New England Granite Works of Westerly, Rhode Island. The material used was derived locally from the Granite State Quarry on Rattlesnake Hill and shipped to Westerly where it was carved and engraved under the watchful eye of designer Fehmer. The monument is seven feet square at the base and nineteen feet high. The brass clockworks are encased at the base to allow for easy access when servicing the clock. Our ancestors felt the clock was the center of consultation in their day, for those that passed by would certainly look at the monument to confirm the time of day or synchronize their own gold pocket watches.

It was many years ago I traveled with my parents to view this monumental clock for the very first time. My father before me was introduced to the clock by his father too. Local men that were employed in the Concord granite industry appreciated and admired the simplicity of the Eastman Clock while fascinated with the quality of the clockworks.

As I view the Eastman clock today, I also value the history, practicality and beauty of the monument just like my Concord ancestors. I think back to my early years as my father told me about his first visit. At this point in time the clock face remains at eight o’clock every hour of the day on the manicured lawn in East Concord. The silence only interrupted by the strong winds in this historic place.

]]>