Kutztown University Sesquicentennial (150th) Anniversary

How did the clock tower come to be known as the Angry Chicken? We have _____ to thank for that.

When you see the clock tower from an angle, many people see the face of a chicken with a partially opened beak. The arches over the clock faces create an illusion of narrowed eyes. This effect earned the Angry Chicken its nickname from the student and staff body.

The clock tower of Old Main was originally built without a clock. With the completion of Old Main's remodeling in 1893 came a new bell tower. The 1910 senior class of the Normal School chose to refurbish this bell tower with a clock face for their class gift. The clock was successfully installed before the end of the semester, allowing Professor Bright W. Beck to accept it from the graduating class. The bell formerly housed in the clock tower is now on display by Old Main.