Atkinson Clock Tower The Forgotten Memorial
The Atkinson clock tower is the oldest pre world war II building in Jesselton and later change its name to Kota Kinabalu. It is more than a hundred years old (build on April 1905) and still standing strong among building at Jesselton Point till this day. Originally known as Atkinson Memorial Clock Tower was built in the memory of Francis George Atkinson, and a very good start for one visiting Kota Kinabalu for sightseeing.
History Of the Atkinson Clock Tower
As we know, the Tower was built in the memory of Francis George Atkinson who died of Malaria. He is Jesselton’s first district officer died at the age of 28. A two faced clock tower presented by his mother Mrs Mary Edith Atkinson to Jesselton town as tribute to her son’s death, and later the clock would be an honour of his death.
Build by Mirabau woods, the clock tower establishment is funded by Atkinson’s friend and some additional funding by visiting ships by that time. The Atkinson clock tower start working in the year of 1905 and the bell can be heard all over town. Standing on the hill facing Jessolton’s ports, the tower measured 50 feet from its base, the tower said to be the navigation landmark by the ships as it could be seen by the sea. Illuminating the night, the clock light tower operational until the late 1950′s
The Tower at Present time
As time flies by, the land and sea in front of the tower have been striped and claimed to build commercial building blocking the view to the tower from the sea. It has become the memorial landmarks in Kota Kinabalu. Tourist and local would go there tacking picture and remembering the old days of Jesselton Town formed by British Colony and later change to Kota Kinabalu and became modern Malaysian city that it is now.
Location
Located between local police precinct and Padang Merdeka Kota Kinabalu, The Atkinson clock tower is hardly to be missed. One can simply viewed the tower or taking picture by the foothills or just drive up the hill to get a closer look at the tower.
