Dedicated in 1991, the Thomas Y. Whitley Clock Tower is the heart of Main Campus and a central gathering point for students and a frequent backdrop for campus events, graduation photos and student selfies. The clock tower is named in honor of Columbus State’s first president, who served from CSU’s founding in 1958 until his retirement in 1979.
Students, faculty and staff cleaned more than 20,000 bricks salvaged from the Shannon Hosiery Mill’s old smokestack, which now form the clock tower’s inner arches. The mill was the university's original, temporary location when it first opened in September 1958. The clock tower, a focal point of the university's logo, always reads 7:58, or 19:58 in military time, which corresponds with the university's founding year.
Fun fact: within the base of the Whitley Clock Tower is a time capsule placed at the time of the structure's dedication. It is scheduled to be retrieved and opened in 2058, the university's centennial year.
Stop Categories: All, Discovery Day, Tourism