An 1858 bronze bell was removed from its tower on a church of the same year in Reading, Mich., and placed on pallets at its new location, at its desired placement height. My funky scaffold set-up temporarily suspended the bell so I could remove the wide pallets, which set over the spots where I wanted to dig for stone pillar foundations.
Narrower pallets were placed under the bell as the foundations arose, “just in case.” The bell weighs 1,500-2,000 pounds and my trust in this scaffold was hardly entire.
Narrower pallets were placed under the bell as the foundations arose, “just in case.” The bell weighs 1,500-2,000 pounds and my trust in this scaffold was hardly entire.
Heavy angle irons were embedded into the stonework and hidden with old barn beam pieces. An Amish fellow roofed the structure.
The bell is rung by a quarter-inch coated cable run through a pair of pulleys. It is not mobile anymore, just the clapper iron, but the loud ring is amply dramatic.
It can be imagined what a workout this bell was given when the Civil War ended.
The bell is rung by a quarter-inch coated cable run through a pair of pulleys. It is not mobile anymore, just the clapper iron, but the loud ring is amply dramatic.
It can be imagined what a workout this bell was given when the Civil War ended.
Fieldstone post pillars were also built at the building’s entrance. The bell structure is in the background.