First-ever astronomical clock in US unveiled in Cedar Rapids
The town of Cedar Rapids in Iowa now boasts the only astronomical clock in North America. The Buresh Immigration Clock Tower, which honours the Czech and Slovak immigrants who settled in the United States in the late 19th century, was launched on Friday by President Petr Pavel and his Slovak counterpart, Peter Pellegrini.
Hundreds of people, mostly members of the Czech and Slovak community, gathered outside the Czech and Slovak National Museum and Library in Cedar Rapids on Friday to watch the unveiling of the Astronomical Clock, which was jointly launched by the presidents of the Czech Republic and Slovakia.
Instead of the twelve apostles from Prague’s 15th century “orloj”, the Buresh Imigration Tower in Czech Village features twelve rotating wooden figures, which honour the Czechs and Slovaks, who immigrated to Iowa in the late 19th century.
The figures, including a coal-miner, butcher, farmer, as well as a Sokol gymnast, were hand-carved by Slovak sculptor Andrej Haršány and rotate to the music of Czech composers Antonin Dvorak and Bedřich Smetana. Instead of the traditional crow of a rooster, a Czechoslovak wolfdog barks every quarter of an hour.
The unveiling of the Buresh Immigration Tower was the first joint visit by a Czech and Slovak head of state to the Midwest city, known for its large population of Czech and Slovak expats, since 1995, when Václav Havel and Michal Kováč met with then-US President Bill Clinton. This time, the US was represented by Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds:
“Almost 30 years ago, your predecessors joined President Clinton here in Cedar Rapids for the original dedication of the museum's beautiful Buresh Immigration clock. And after three decades of major renovation, the tower now includes multiple new elements that pay tribute to its famous inspiration in the heart of Prague.
“As a result, it now ranks as the only astronomical clock of its kind in the United States. It's hard to imagine a more fitting tribute to the many contributions that the Czech and Slovak immigrants have made to Iowa's economy and culture over the years.”
President Pavel’s visit to Cedar Rapids wound up his week-long trip to the United States. In his speech, he called the Astronomical Clock a symbol of the enduring cultural ties between the Czech and Slovak nations:
“Let me congratulate the National Czech and Slovak Museum and Library on its 50th anniversary. The institution has gradually transformed into a hub of Czech and Slovak culture. Today it no longer focuses on the past, but also contributes to the development of relations between the Czech Republic and Slovakia on one side and Cedar Rapids Iowa and United States on the other. What a fantastic job you are doing here. Thank you for it.”
The original clock tower from 1995, which was damaged by a storm, was turned into the Prague-inspired orloj thanks to money collected in fundraising efforts. The biggest donation came from the late Czech-born banker Ernie Buresh, hence the tower’s name.
