Since we just changed our clocks, I thought you’d like to read this excerpt from a Jeff LaHurd article plus additional info from the Observer newspapers on the Palmer Bank Clock.
Palmer Bank, standing proudly at Five Points in downtown Sarasota, was established in the Roaring 20s by Bertha Palmer’s sons, Honoré Palmer and Potter Palmer Jr., along with Prince Michael Cantacuzene (a Russian nobleman and husband of Bertha’s niece, Julia Dent Grant).
Its iconic cornerstone clock noted the time of day for generations.
(Ed. note: See, parking downtown
was always an issue.)
In 1964, the bank was completely transformed, given a face-lift with white marble, aluminum, and gray glass. (Ed. note: Can’t find a photo of the renovation, so here’s another view of the original building. Note how large the clock is!)
The antique corner clock was put in temporary storage and a new one installed. The columns were moved to the grounds of the Ringling Art Museum. (Another angle of the original. How impressive that bank was! And look: the left wall actually had benches where folks could linger and chat!)
When the building was remodeled, the clock wound up in storage, where it sat — forgotten — for the next two decades.
In 1992, the late Carroll Ramsey, a Parks and Recreation employee, happened upon it one day at work.
“Corky” always had an eye for beauty. When he uncovered the historic timepiece, which was in pieces, he couldn’t stand the thought of letting something so beautiful waste away.
With Ramsey’s background as a welder and stained-glass artist, the project was a perfect fit.
After the restoration, the clock was mounted on two poles at the south corner of Five Points Park, where it remains today.
More from Observer 2012 article>
Photos and information sourced from Sarasota Alive, Sarasota Magazine, Observer Newspapers, and TripAdvisor.
The Historical Society of Sarasota County 
Thanks for the information about the Five Points clock. Until now I never noticed the stained glass at the bottom of the clock! Another bit of Sarasota historical knowledge I have learned. Kim
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