Spooky Old Clock Tower Cupola In Vernon Could Soon Fade Into History

VERNON, CT — The mysterious old clock tower sitting in the bushes on a property adjacent to a hotel in Vernon could soon fade into history.

The wooden, whitewashed clock and cupola combination has been sitting on the former Motel 6-now Travelodge property at 51 Hartford Turnpike for years. It was perched atop the Talcott Mill across the street for a bit, tough it was not an original part of its architecture. It then sat atop the former George's restaurant, when it was attached to the hotel in the late 1900s into the early 2000s.

It now sits in ruins, sort of resembling the bombed out Statue of Liberty at the end of the movie "Planet of the Apes." It also appears that someone has been living in it.

Municipal officials have sent a series of terse letters to the property owners ordering the cleanup of the area. Town records show that the property is partly owned by the hotel principals and partly owned by the association of a defunct condominium development.

The clock tower is listed among litter like mattresses and old tires in the town cleanup order. Several code and safety violations are also mentioned in the letters. The litter sits in stark contrast to the abutting new version of the old Connecticut Golf Land and a new restaurant that are both nearing the final stages of construction. In the current configuration, restaurant-goers would have to pass the junk on their way to the eatery.

Local officials, citing conversations with property owners, said the tower is there for the taking, but also cautioned that it has severely deteriorated. It could disappear quickly when the property is finally cleaned up, town officials said.