Navigation:   TowerBells Home  => What's New => News History (TowerBells)

What was new in these pages in 2000-2012?

This page reports on the evolution of this collection of pages prior to the merger of the data migrated from the GCNA Website.  This helps to keep the current "What's New" page to a manageable size.  The changes are reported in reverse order, with the latest at the top.  Dates show when pages were installed on the Web server, which is not always the same as their internal dates of revision.

This report covers not only the root directory but all pre-merger subdirectories.


2012/04/01 - Status change: News items of earlier date (see below) apply only to the original version of the TowerBells Website, i.e., during the period when it was maintained separately from what was until today the data segment of the GCNA Website (www.gcna.org/data, which no longer exists).

2011/11/22 - Replaced Google Maps link base for 79 site data pages within the USA (not listed).  (281 sites remain unmapped.)

2011/11/21 - Replaced Google Maps link base for 30 site data pages outside the USA (not listed).  (6 sites remain unmapped.)

2011/10/24 - Revised 5 site data pages for tubular chimes and added one (list IX101024TU.HTM and related map removed to archive in 2023); revised affected indexes and regional maps accordingly.

Revised the page of sites that are no more to reflect discovery of the origin of the Deagan chime stored at the Avril Company in Cincinnati; revised affected indexes accordingly.

Fixed all broken regional maps by replacing Google API key.  The previous version of the key was valid only for the URL which was in use prior to the 03/22 relocation of this Website (see below).
Also replaced Google Maps API key for individual locator maps; but all pages containing such maps also require MapQuest link changes, and only the pages in this update have those maps fixed.  About 90 others require updating.  (The reason for the MapQuest link change is explained on the ex-GCNA side of this Website - see 2010/10/01 & 05 there.)

2011/03/22 - Migrated this Website from home.swbell.net/csz_stl/ to homepage.mac.com/stlbells/TowerBells/, because AT&T will be terminating the former service on 1 June.  What made the change more urgent was that its warning popup was incompatible with the existing aliasing of towerbells.org, causing the site to be inaccessible via some Web browsers.

2011/03/20 - Revised the history of the first Stuckstede bellfoundry on the Saint Louis Bell Foundries page.

2010/10/26 - Revised 4 site data pages for tubular chimes (list IX100901TU.HTM and related map removed to archive in 2023); revised affected indexes accordingly.

Revised the Tubular Bells page and the corresponding page of sites that are no more with newly-discovered information about a former U.S.Tubular chime in Chicago.

2010/09/01 - Revised 6 site data pages for tubular chimes (list IX100610TU.HTM and related map removed to archive in 2023); revised affected indexes and regional maps accordingly.

Revised the Hillsboro foundry history page to add dates of operation under the three different business names that were used.

Revised the Revere foundry page to clarify a few minor points.

2010/06/10 - Revised 2 site data pages for tubular chimes and added 1 (list IX100301TU.HTM and related map removed to archive in 2023); revised affected indexes and regional maps accordingly.

Added a new name to the page of St.Louis bell foundries.

2010/03/09 - Revised 4 site data pages for tubular chimes and added 3 (list and map removed); revised affected indexes, lists and regional maps accordingly.

2009/07/26 - Revised 17 site data pages for tubular chimes (list and map removed); revised affected indexes, lists and regional maps accordingly.

Added regional, state-wide and provincial locator maps to the index of tubular chimes by state/province.

2009/07/17 - Revised the Deagan table of sites and the Deagan index page to reflect newly-discovered dates of installation.

Revised the regional locator map for tubular chimes, adding the African site and correcting various counts.  Reorganized the North American regional locator map, adding all missing data points (though many are not accurately mapped yet).  Revised the Help file for those maps.

2009/07/08 - Revised 15 site data pages for tubular chimes (list and map removed).

Added a regional locator map for tubular chimes, in two sections - worldwide and North America.  (Those in the UK continue to be omitted from this Website.)

Revised the Tower Bells Home Page and the Tubular Bells page slightly.

2009/06/10 - Revised 6 site data pages for tubular chimes (list and map removed - although 2 are not mapped).

Revised the Tower Bells top page slightly.

2009/01/11 - Revised the page about tubular bells to add a link to a new page which gives a tabular comparison of such bells from the three major makers.

2009/01/04 - Add regional locator map capability, which appears first in the following paragraph:

Revised 10 site data pages for tubular chimes, and added 11 (list and map removed - although 2 are not mapped); revised affected indexes accordingly.

Replaced one site data page with an entry on the page of sites that are no more - the Boston MA chime has relocated to Perth AU (one of the new pages listed above).

Reorganized the tubular bells page to present Harrington before Durfee (the correct chronological order).

2008/09/24 - Revised 2 site data pages for tubular chimes, and added 1 (list removed); revised affected indexes accordingly.

Replaced the site data page for St.Stephen's Broadway, Winnipeg, with a paragraph in the page of sites that are no more, since that chime no longer exists; revised affected indexes accordingly.

Added an entry to the Revere foundry page.

Expanded the tale of Naylor Vickers in North America.

Revised the locator map page to accept higher zoom levels.

2008/07/08 - Revised 9 site data pages for tubular chimes, and added 1 (list removed); revised affected indexes accordingly.

Replaced the site data page for St.John's, Detroit, with a paragraph in the page of sites that are no more, since that chime no longer exists; revised affected indexes accordingly.

2008/06/28 - Revised 2 site data pages for tubular chimes, and added 1 (list removed); revised affected indexes accordingly.

Revised the Revere foundry page slightly.

2008/04/19 - Revised 1 site data page for tubular chimes, and added 1 (list removed); revised affected indexes accordingly.

2008/03/17 - Added a Weblink to the Revere foundry page.

2008/03/13 - Revised 3 site data pages for tubular chimes, and added 1 (list removed); revised affected indexes accordingly.

Replaced site data page for the former tubular chime at All Souls Memorial Episcopal Church, Washington, DC, with an entry in the list of North American sites that no longer exist; revised affected indexes accordingly.

Added a link for the new Website of Meeks, Watson & Company to the bellfoundries page.

2007/12/26 - Revised the Revere foundry page to describe the Falmouth bell (1796) more accurately.

2007/11/27 - Revised Weblink for Galion, OH.

Revised 2 site data pages for tubular chimes (list removed); revised affected indexes accordingly.

2007/09/17 - Revised 2 site data pages for tubular chimes, and added 2 (list removed); revised affected indexes accordingly.

2007/08/30 - Corrected status of one entry in the Deagan site list.

2007/08/27 - Revised 9 site data pages for tubular chimes, relocated 2 and added 2 (list removed); revised affected indexes accordingly.

Replaced site data page for the former tubular chime at Berwick, PA, with an entry in the list of North American sites that no longer exist; revised affected indexes accordingly.

Added a Weblink to the Holbrook foundry list.

2007/01/26 - Removed the site data page for Franklin, TN, upon discovering that it is only 3 notes, not 18; revised affected indexes accordingly, along with the Deagan table and Deagan site list.

2007/01/20-21 - Revised 5 site data pages for tubular chimes (list removed); revised affected indexes accordingly.

Revised the St.Louis Bell Foundries page and the home page.

2006/12/08-09 - Added a page about musical scales in change ringing, and linked it from the home page (Section 3).

2006/09/29 - Revised 12 site data pages for tubular chimes (list removed), including the "resurrection" of the chime of the former Los Angeles High School; revised affected indexes accordingly.

Upgraded the Google Maps interface page to the same version as that on the GCNA Website.

2006/09/23 - Revised 13 site data pages for tubular chimes (list removed); deleted those for Wilkinsburg, PA,  Zanesville - C, OH and Zanesville - FA, OH; revised affected indexes accordingly.

Slightly revised the main page about tubular bells.

2006/05/22 - Revised 6 site data pages for tubular chimes (list removed).

2006/03/20 - Added 5 new site data pages for tubular chimes by Durfee (list removed); revised affected indexes accordingly.

Added a temporary note to the Map Use Hints reflecting the new availability of map linking service based on the Google Maps and MapQuest online mapping services; details will be added later.

Expanded history of W.H.Durfee on the page about Tubular Bells.

Added page about Naylor Vickers in North America, together with a page of supporting data.

Corrected list of French foundries on the page of Bell Foundries.

2005/12/19 - Revised 4 site data pages for tubular chimes (list removed). Added Weblink to site data page for tubular chime at Brockville, Ontario.

Expanded the page about the Hillsboro bellfoundry.

2005/09/27 - Revised 14 site data pages for tubular chimes (list removed), and revised affected indexes accordingly; revised Weblinks for 6 other pages.

2005/09/10 - Replaced site data page for the former tubular chime at Atlanta, TX, with an entry in the list of North American sites that no longer exist; revised affected indexes accordingly.

Added an emergency note to the Map Use Hints reflecting the abandonment of map linking service by MapsOnUs, and consequent breakage of all of our locator map links for places in the USA.

2005/05/31 - Added link for AltaVista's BabelFish translation service to the Home page.

2005/05/27 - Reorganized the European section the bellfoundries page according to geography.

2005/05/25 - Added Weblinks for Bachert, Oberascher and Perner to the bellfoundries page.

2005/05/12 - Revised site data page for Jacksonville, IL.

2005/05/10,11 - Revised site data page for Houston, TX.

2005/05/09 - Revised 2 site data pages for tubular chimes (list removed), and changed one instrument's status in the list of Deagan sites.

2005/04/24 - Revised site data page for White Springs, FL.

2005/04/08 - Revised site data page for Edmonton, AB.

2005/04/02 - Revised two of the site data pages included in the 03/31 update (Edmonton and New York - see below); revised affected indexes accordingly.

2005/03/31 - Revised 3 site data pages for tubular chimes and added one (list removed); revised affected indexes accordingly.

2005/03/25 - Replaced the site data page for East Liverpool, Ohio, with a paragraph in the page of sites that are no more, and revised affected indexes accordingly; changed that instrument's status in the list of Deagan sites; and revised the table summarizing Deagan production because the number of notes had been reported incorrectly.

Added current status for Rochester, NY (St.Matthew's) to the list of Deagan sites; because it has only 5 notes, it does not have a site data page.

2005/03/21 - Expanded the page on tubular bell patents.

2005/03/13 - Added site data page for tubular chime in Rye, NY, and revised affected indexes accordingly.

Significantly revised the page about tubular bells, and moved details of related patents to a new page.

2005/03/08 - Revised the page about tubular bells, adding several newly-discovered facts which significantly changed the author's speculations about the general history as well as about the relationship between Durfee and U.S.Tubular, and adding a section on McShane.

Revised seven site data pages for tubular chimes (mostly Durfee or U.S.Tubular) and added one (list removed); revised affected indexes accordingly.

Added two sites in Methuen to the page of sites that are no more (under Defunct), and revised indexes accordingly.

2005/01/27 - Revised 2 site data pages for Durfee tubular chimes and added one (list removed); revised affected indexes accordingly.

2005/01/24 - Revised 18 site data pages for Deagan tubular chimes (list removed).

Revised the bell foundries page.

2005/01/03 - Revised the Holbrook foundry page.

2004/12/21 - Revised the Bell Foundries page to solicit inquiries more explicitly.  Revised the Saint Louis Bell Foundries and Caughlan pages to provide more details of the history of David Caughlan's work as well as photos of more of his bells.

2004/12/14 - Revised 4 site data pages for tubular chimes (list removed); deleted the page for Tyler, TX, changed that instrument's status in the list of Deagan sites, added it to the page of sites that are no more (under Relocations), and revised indexes accordingly.

2004/11/18 - Revised bell foundries page to include mention of Verdin's mobile foundry.

2004/11/16 - Revised 2 site data pages for tubular chimes (list removed); added a Weblink for Century Mallet Instruments Company to the Deagan section of the page about tubular bells.

2004/11/14 - Revised 3 site data pages for tubular chimes and added one (list removed) and revised indexes accordingly.

2004/10/09 - Revised 19 site data pages for Deagan tubular chimes (list removed) and revised indexes accordingly.

Provided status for Stevens Point, WI, and corrected date for Meadville, PA, in the list of Deagan sites.  Revised the table summarizing Deagan production accordingly.

2004/09/06 - Revised the page on bell foundries to link a new page about the history of the C.S.Bell foundry.

2004/08/10 - Revised 19 site data pages for Deagan tubular chimes (list removed) and revised indexes accordingly.  Most of the revised pages have also had locator maps added, and there is a new page of Map Use Hints.

2004/08/03 - Corrected the spelling of Colma (not to be confused with Coloma) in the list of Deagan sites.

Fixed the Weblink for St.Alphege Church in the page about tubular bells.

Replaced site data page for Joliet (St.John) with an entry in the page of sites that are no more (under relocations), and revised indexes accordingly.

Added an online calculator for converting between the various units of weight which are used for bells.  This is reachable from a short new section at the bottom of the Tower Bells home page (see Navigation above).

2004/05/24 - Added five new site data pages (for non-Deagan tubular chimes) and revised 18 existing ones (list removed); further revised four more (list removed), and revised indexes accordingly.

2004/05/23 - Supplied a new site data page for each listed tower tube chime believed to be extant (altogether about 375), linked via new index pages referenced by the revised Tubular Bells page; all external references to Websites related to specific chimes moved from that page to the relevant new site data page.

2004/04/16 - Made additional status changes to the list of Deagan chimes, and added Weblinks to the Deagan section of the Tubular Bells page.

2004/04/05 - Made additional status changes to the list of Deagan chimes, and provided counts for each status.

2004/04/04 - Added a Site Map page, with a link to it in the standard menu bar at the bottom of each existing page; added a hierarchical navigation bar at the top of each existing page (including this one).

2004/04/03 - Made additional status changes to the list of Deagan chimes; revised the Deagan summary table based on installation dates that were previously unknown.

2004/03/31 - Made additional status changes to the list of Deagan chimes.

2004/03/28 - Revised the Tubular Bells page to describe (with Weblinks) the recently-identified Harrington chime in Brockville, ON, and add Weblinks for several Deagan chimes.  Made additional status changes to the list of Deagan chimes.

2004/03/25 - Revised the Tubular Bells page slightly, and made extensive changes to the two linked pages which list and tabulate Deagan tubular chimes.

2003/12/04 - Corrected main page's Weblink to the ABAII Website.

2003/10/25 - Moved the Tower Bells Supersite from the SBC Personal Home Page directory to a separate subdirectory; used management tools at EasyDNS.com to point the TowerBells.org domain name at that subdirectory.

2003/10/24 - Expanded the home page, revised several existing paragraphs, and provided a hyperlinked subject index for it.

2003/06/15 - Revised page listing Deagan sites to add further information on site status from a variety of sources; revised hardcopy description at the bottom of the tubular bells page to make clear the differences between the two lists.

2003/06/11 - Added a page listing Deagan sites and a table summarizing them, both linked from the tubular bells page, which has been slightly revised to suit.  In particular, all previouly undated sites now have been dated and moved within the page.

2003/01/04 - Fixed Weblink for Top Rung on the tubular bells page.

2002/10/05 - Added mention of a newly-identified early St.Louis private label reseller to the page on St.Louis bellfoundries. Added automatic subject parameter to email links.

2002/09/12 - Corrected the description of the recently-added site on the page about tubular bells.

2002/09/03 - Added a Weblink for a newly-reported site to the page about tubular bells.

2002/09/02 - Moved the information about bellfoundries from the main page into a new page, and expanded that to include links to modern European foundries as well as the Revere and Holbrook foundries of America (each of which has its own page as well).
Added chimolas link to the section on hemispheric bells.

Expanded the page on tubular bells to include new material about Durfee and Harrington and about patents related to tubular bells.

2002/05/29 - Greatly expanded the top page, adding information on hemispheric bells, tubular bells, and "other" bells, with numerous new links.  Added a page on tubular bells, with links to many institutions which have tower chimes of this type; moved PDF listing of tubular tower chimes here from the GCNA Website.  Added a page on St.Louis bellfoundries.

2002/03/15 - Rehosted the Tower Bells Website under a personal Webpage on home.swbell.net, with revisions to all three pages in the starting set.

2001/05 - Intec support for email and personal Websites vanished without explanation.

2000/07/28 - Greatly expanded the top page, adding links to other Websites.

2000/03/04 - Initial installation of this page along with the top page for the new Tower Bells Website, which is a personal project of Carl Scott Zimmerman and is [or rather, was] located on the Intec Web host.


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This page was created 2000/03/02 and split on 2012/08/11.

Please send comments or questions about this page to csz_stl@swbell.net.