On October 18th 1999, the large four-faced street
clock in front of Matteucci’s Jewelry store was knocked over and destroyed by a
truck. The clock on Columbus between Vallejo and Green was installed in 1908.
Two days after the clock was knocked over, the jeweler who owned Matteucci’s
and wound the clock every day, Matteo Ciuffreda, died. Maybe a little poignant.
A rare tourist photo of the clock is below left.
The denizens and shop owners of North Beach raised thousands
of dollars to replace and reinstall the clock. The heir to Matteo Ciuffreda took her time about reinstalling it,
waiting for the insurance money to replace the clock.
Then she left town. North Beach bitterness.