When I worked for my dad in the summers during the 70s, this is how I could know the temperature, often in three digits. On top on Baker-Boyer Bank, one of Walla Walla's signature buildings. The sign has since taken down, probably because it presented a hazard.
1 comment:
Great nostalgic post Mike. For decades, that clock was a comforting beacon in the downtown skyline. No matter how much the world changed around us, you could always look up at the top of Baker Boyer Bank and know exactly where you stood in time. Long before everyone had a smartphone in their pocket, that digital marquee was the shared heartbeat of Main Street. It kept us all moving to the same rhythm. Whether you were driving into town, walking out of a shop, or just catching up with a friend on the corner, checking the bank clock for the time and temperature was an automatic, daily ritual for generations of Walla Wallans. It didn't just tell us the hour; it told us how to dress for the day. Watching those lights flash from the time to a scorching summer high or a freezing winter low was part of the valley's charm. In the classic tradition of community banking, that clock was a daily public service. It was Baker Boyer’s quiet way of looking out for the town, ensuring that every passerby was given a reliable guidepost. The seven-story bank building is a magnificent piece of architecture, but that glowing digital sign gave it a warm, modern personality that made the whole downtown area feel like home.
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