Haseltine Clock

In December 2023, just in time for the holidays, a beautiful grandfather clock returned to Baraboo and its new home at the Van Orden Mansion. The clock was donated by Andy Daigneault of Portage House of Clocks, who had kept the clock in his shop for over 30 years in hopes that it would some day return to Baraboo.  In 1921, William Haseltine, of Baraboo, acquired walnut wood for the clock case and it wasn’t until 10 years later that he found plans for the clock, which he completed in 1931. Originally, the clock face featured a separate calendar, now missing, that would self adjust every four years for leap year. For the time and chime mechanisms, Haseltine salvaged parts from two other clocks and used a German music box for some of the chime tones. Also novel to the time, the clock featured an electric winding system to reset the clock and keep accurate time. Haseltine’s name is inscribed on a small bronze plaque in the back of the clock case. 

If you’d like to see the clock in person, we encourage you to visit the Van Orden Mansion this spring/summer when we open in early May.