When the Spitz Jewelry Store opened its doors in 1881, a giant pocket watch was the ideal advertising ploy. Would-be customers could spot the massive timepiece from a far away, but there was just one problem—it didn’t actually tell time. Around the turn of the century, it was decided that a working clock might be a better idea, so the Spitz Clock was replaced with a functional version. In 1915, people gawped when the first motor truck in the city drove around the plaza, but then there were shouts and…
