3 0 , ▁ 1 9 5 6 . ▁A ▁poem ▁explaining ▁the ▁weather ▁meaning ▁behind ▁the ▁ball ' s ▁colors . ▁In ▁ 1 9 6 4 , ▁a ▁Cit iz ens ▁Bank ▁j ing le ▁was ▁craft ed ▁by ▁Jack ie ▁Bow les ▁from ▁the ▁poem , ▁with ▁small ▁altern ation ▁to ▁the ▁words , ▁and ▁set ▁to ▁C umber land ▁Mountain ▁Bear ▁Ch ase ▁music . ▁The ▁ball ▁is ▁a ▁regular ▁be acon ▁in ▁the ▁city ▁except ▁from ▁ 1 9 7 4 ▁until ▁January ▁ 1 , ▁ 1 9 7 8 , ▁when ▁it ▁was ▁turned ▁off ▁during ▁the ▁ 1 9 7 0 s ▁energy ▁crisis . ▁The ▁weather ball ▁was ▁officially ▁re - letter ed ▁for ▁First Mer it ▁Bank ▁in ▁November ▁ 2 0 1 3 . ▁The ▁original ▁" CB " ▁letters ▁were ▁removed ▁and ▁were ▁supposed ly ▁going ▁to ▁be ▁put ▁in ▁the ▁Slo an ▁Museum ▁in ▁Fl int , ▁Michigan . ▁Unfortunately , ▁because ▁of ▁their ▁poor ▁condition ▁due ▁to ▁their ▁age , ▁they ▁had ▁to ▁be ▁rec yc led . ▁The ▁" CB " ▁initial s ▁under ne ath ▁were ▁made ▁of ▁ne on ▁pip ing ▁for ▁the ▁letters ▁with ▁a ▁metal , ▁reflect ive ▁backing ▁behind ▁the ▁ne on ▁letters , ▁and ▁the ▁letters ▁were ▁mounted ▁on ▁square ▁por cel ain ▁pl ates . ▁ ▁The ▁We ather ▁Ball ▁was ▁operated ▁by ▁Cit iz ens ▁Republic ▁Ban cor p ▁based ▁on ▁National ▁We ather ▁Service ▁forec asts , ▁and ▁is