View source for Emerson Bromo-Seltzer Tower

{{Short description|Clocktower-office building in Baltimore, Maryland}}
{{Use American English|date=January 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2021}}
{{Infobox building
| name                = Emerson Bromo-Seltzer Tower
| image               = Bromo-Seltzer Tower, Baltimore, Maryland.jpg
| image_size          = 180px
| image_alt           = <!-- or |alt= -->
| image_caption       = <!-- or |caption= -->
| coordinates         = {{coord|39|17|15.7|N|76|37|14.3|W|region:US-MD_type:landmark|display=inline,title}}
| alternate_names     = Bromo-Seltzer Arts Tower
| etymology           = 
| status              = 
| cancelled           = 
| topped_out          = 
| building_type       = Commercial offices
| architectural_style = [[Renaissance Revival]]
| classification      = 
| address             = 21 South Eutaw St., [[Baltimore]], [[Maryland]]
| altitude            = 
| current_tenants     = 
| namesake            = 
| groundbreaking_date = 
| start_date          = 1907
| stop_date           = 1911
| topped_out_date     = 
| completion_date     = <!-- or |est_completion= -->
| opened_date         = 
| inauguration_date   = 
| relocated_date      = 
| renovation_date     = 
| closing_date        = 
| demolition_date     = <!-- or |destruction_date= -->
| cost                = 
| owner               = [[Baltimore|City of Baltimore]]
| management          = Baltimore Office of Promotion & The Arts
| affiliation         = 
| height              = 
| architectural       = 
| tip                 = 
| antenna_spire       = 
| roof                = {{cvt|88|m}}
| top_floor           = 
| observatory         = 
| diameter            = 
| circumference       = 
| weight              = 
| other_dimensions    = 
| structural_system   = 
| material            = 
| size                = 
| floor_count         = 15
| floor_area          = 
| elevator_count      = 
| grounds_area        = {{convert|0.1|acre}}
| architect           = [[Joseph Evans Sperry]]
| awards              = 
| designations        = 
| known_for           = 
| parking             = 
| public_transit      = 
| website             = {{Official URL}}
| embed               = 
| embedded            = 
{{Infobox historic site
| embed               = yes

| designation1        = NRHP
| designation1_date   = June 4, 1973
| designation1_number = 73002184<ref name="nris">{{NRISref|version=2010a}}</ref><ref name="nris1">{{cite web |title=National Register of Historical Places – Maryland (MD), Baltimore County |url=http://www.nationalregisterofhistoricplaces.com/MD/Baltimore/state3.html |website=nationalregisterofhistoricplaces.com |access-date=August 15, 2018}}</ref>
| designation2        = BCL
| designation2_date   = 1975
}}
| references          = 
| footnotes           = <ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.emporis.com/buildings/119037 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160307025245/https://www.emporis.com/buildings/119037 |url-status=usurped |archive-date=March 7, 2016 |title=Emporis building ID 119037 |work=[[Emporis]]}}</ref><ref>{{skyscraperpage|10406}}</ref>
}}

The '''Emerson Tower''' (often called the '''Bromo-Seltzer Tower''' or the '''Bromo Tower''') is a 15-story, {{convert|88|m|abbr=on}} [[clock tower]] erected in 1907–1911 at 21 South Eutaw Street, at the northeast corner of Eutaw and West Lombard Streets in downtown [[Baltimore]], [[Maryland]]. It was the tallest building in the city from 1911 to 1923, until supplanted by the Citizens National Bank building (later First National Bank of Maryland, then occupied by MECU – Municipal Employees Credit Union) at the southeast corner of Light and Redwood (German) Streets. It was designed by local architect [[Joseph Evans Sperry]] (1854–1930) for [[Isaac Edward Emerson]] (1859–1931),<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.cr.nps.gov/nr/travel/baltimore/b17.htm |title=Baltimore: A National Register of Historic Places Travel Itinerary |access-date=February 7, 2007 |archive-date=October 17, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121017165224/http://www.cr.nps.gov/nr/travel/baltimore/b17.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="mht_ihp">{{cite web|url=https://mht.maryland.gov/secure/medusa/PDF/NR_PDFs/NR-171.pdf|title=National Register of Historic Places Registration: Emerson Bromo-Seltzer Tower|date=August 1972|access-date=2016-03-01 |author=C. Black and A. McClellan|publisher=Maryland Historical Trust}}</ref> who invented the [[Bromo-Seltzer]] headache remedy.

For years, the landmark tower was surrounded by and part of the Emerson Drug Company with its office headquarters and manufacturing plant for the carbonated headache pain relief tablets or powder [[Bromo-Seltzer]]. Later, the Emerson building around it was razed and replaced by the  [[Baltimore City Fire Department]]'s John Steadman Fire Station, which serves the west side of downtown Baltimore. The Steadman Station combined several earlier engine and truck companies in firehouses on the west side. Built in the [[Brutalist architecture]] style of poured concrete, the station has lines echoing the surviving tower to its south and west.

==History==
[[File:Bromo-Seltzer Tower, c. 1920.png|thumb|left|upright|C. 1920]]
It was the tallest building in Baltimore from 1911 until 1923.<ref name="jkellytbs">[http://baltimore.cbslocal.com/2017/04/24/bromo-selzer-tower-repairs/ Washington, Marcus. "Iconic Bromo Seltzer Is Telling Time Once Again For Baltimore." CBS Baltimore. N.p., 24 Apr. 17. Web. 23 June 2017.]</ref> The design of the tower along with the original factory building at its base was inspired by the [[Palazzo Vecchio]] in [[Florence|Florence, Italy]], which was seen by Emerson during a tour of Europe in 1900.<ref>Dorsey, John & Dilts, James D., ''A Guide to Baltimore Architecture'' (1997), p. 172. Tidewater Publishers, Centreville, Maryland {{ISBN|0-87033-477-8}}</ref> Systems engineering for the building's original design was completed by [[Henry Adams (mechanical engineer)|Henry Adams]]. The factory was demolished in 1969 and replaced with a firehouse.<ref name="jkellytbs"/>

The building features four [[clock face]]s adorning the tower's 15th [[storey|floor]] on the North, South, East and West sides. Installed by the [[Seth Thomas Clock Company]] at an original cost of US$3,965, they are made of translucent white glass and feature the letters B-R-O-M-O S-E-L-T-Z-E-R, with the [[Roman numerals]] being less prominent. The dials, which are illuminated at [[night]] with LED lights are {{convert|24|ft|m|abbr=off|sp=us}} in [[diameter]], and the minute and hour hands about {{convert|12|and|10|ft|meter|abbr=off|sp=us}} in length respectively. Upon its completion, the Bromo Seltzer Tower had the world's largest four-dial gravity-driven clock. The clock was converted to electric power in 1975 and restored to the original weight drive in 2017.<ref name="jkellytbs"/> On each clock face, BROMO runs clockwise from 10:00 to 2:00, while SELTZER runs counterclockwise from 9:00 to 3:00.

The tower originally had a {{convert|51|ft|abbr=on}} Bromo-Seltzer bottle,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.spearsvotta.com/projects/bromo_seltzer_clock_tower.html|title=Historic Emerson Bromo-Seltzer Clock Tower in Baltimore|access-date=2008-06-26|publisher=spearsvotta.com|archive-date=October 12, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081012012804/http://www.spearsvotta.com/projects/bromo_seltzer_clock_tower.html|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name = history>{{cite web|url=http://www.bromoseltzertower.com/history.cfm|title=Bromo Seltzer Arts Tower|access-date=2008-06-26|publisher=bromoseltzertower.com}}</ref> glowing blue and rotating. Weighing 20 [[ton]]s (18.1 [[tonne]]s), it was lined with 314 illuminated lights and topped with a crown. On a clear night it could be seen from 20 miles away.<ref name="jkellytbs"/><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://knowingpoe.thinkport.org/person/poesbalto_popup_bromo.asp|title = Poe's Baltimore: Then and Now}}</ref> The bottle was removed in 1936 because of structural concerns.

The tower was virtually abandoned in 2002, but in early 2007 the Baltimore Office of Promotion and the Arts and philanthropists Eddie and Sylvia Brown worked to transform the structure into artist studios. The Bromo Seltzer Arts Tower is now home to a variety of creative artists, writers, videographers, photographers, poets, and more. Throughout the day, artists welcome guests into their studios to view and purchase original art. The Baltimore Fire Department's [[John Steadman (sportswriter)#Personal life|John F. Steadman Memorial Station]], which opened in 1973 and is situated at the tower's base, houses BCFD Hazmat 1, Airflex 1, Medic1, Medic 23, MAC23, Engine 23, Rescue 1, and formerly Truck 2.<ref name = "history"/><ref>{{cite web |last1=Rasmussen |first1=Frederick N. |title=John Steadman, 'fireman's fireman' |url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/2004/10/02/john-steadman-firemans-fireman/ |website=tribunedigital-baltimoresun |access-date=August 15, 2018 |language=en |date=October 2, 2004}}</ref>

The Bromo Seltzer History Museum opened in 2015 featuring a collection of Bromo Seltzer bottles and Emerson Drug Company marketing ephemera. The Maryland Glass Room was added in 2017 to showcase the collection of cobalt blue glass bottles made by The Maryland Glass Corporation owned by Isaac Emerson.

The Emerson Bromo-Seltzer Tower was placed on the [[National Register of Historic Places]] in 1973.<ref name="nris"/> It is included within the [[Baltimore National Heritage Area]].<ref name="balto1">{{cite web|url=http://www.baltimorecity.gov/Portals/0/agencies/heritage/public%20downloads/neighborhoods_heritageareas.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130522024255/http://www.baltimorecity.gov/Portals/0/agencies/heritage/public%20downloads/neighborhoods_heritageareas.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-date=May 22, 2013 |title=Baltimore National Heritage Area Map |publisher=City of Baltimore |access-date=March 11, 2012 }}</ref>
{{Clear left}}

==See also==
*[[List of tallest buildings in Baltimore]]
*[[List of towers]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category}}
*{{Official website}}
*{{MHT url|id=173|title=Emerson Bromo-Seltzer Tower}} at the Maryland Historical Trust

{{Buildings in Baltimore timeline}}
{{National Register of Historic Places in Maryland}}

[[Category:Commercial buildings completed in 1911]]
[[Category:Culture of Baltimore]]
[[Category:Skyscrapers in Baltimore]]
[[Category:Commercial buildings on the National Register of Historic Places in Baltimore]]
[[Category:Clock towers in Maryland]]
[[Category:Downtown Baltimore]]
[[Category:Tourist attractions in Baltimore]]
[[Category:Joseph Evans Sperry buildings]]
[[Category:Baltimore National Heritage Area]]
[[Category:1911 establishments in Maryland]]
[[Category:Skyscrapers in Maryland]]
[[Category:Baltimore City Landmarks]]