Here are listed the 38 present and 4 former
great bells in North America
which are/were found outside of carillons and other tower bell instruments.
They are listed in descending order by weight.
The format of each entry is explained in a key
at the bottom of this page.
The corresponding list of great bells in carillons
has intercalated links to reference the bells listed here.
Bells in italics no longer exist.
Existing bells are part of the regional map of
great bells in North America,
which also includes those great bells which are found within tower bell instruments.
"World Peace Bell", A, 33385 kg, Paccard and affiliates, 1998
Millennium Monument
Fourth and York Streets
Tel. (859)261-2526
LL: N 39.09224, W 84.49576 Site locator map
The world's largest swinging bell, and the largest Western bell outside of Russia,
from its casting until 2006;
it is a "maiden bell" (un-tuned).
The "planned weight" announced before casting (30 metric tons, or about 66,000 lbs)
was deliberately misleading; the actual planned weight was 33 metric tons.
As weighed at the foundry after casting, the bell is 33385 kg, or slightly over 73,000 lbs.
Total swinging weight including clapper and yoke is about 104,000 lbs.
Diameter 378 cm.
Links:
> Millennium Monument Center
- the authoritative reference offers many pages about the bell, including online videos of its trip upriver
(archived in 2002)
> World Peace Symposium 2000 (archived in 2007)
> Tall
Stacks 1999 - on the barge at the riverside (zoomable photo)
> Tri-State Travelogue
- two good clickable photos (archived in 2001)
> 3 photos
of the bell and barge arriving at Newport.
Notice the hinged smokestacks on the riverboat!
> The Verdin Company,
designers of the bell
> photo
of the bell in the partly-completed tower,
with a good news article and sidebar on a linked page
> photo of the bell swinging
> Wikipedia article
about this bell, with a small photo clickable for a large version
> A 2013
article about the silencing of the Founder's Bell for repairs opens with a
photo of the tower top,
which you may glimpse before the paywall goes up.
> two photos
at the foundry, with a linked news article (archived in 2005)
> Video --
note that the flying clapper, which is counterbalanced,
keeps striking even when the bell is barely moving.
> Video
> Original tower design (never built) from Emporis Buildings;
also see our Emporis Advice.
> Index to all peace instruments worldwide.
> Where this bell lies in the total sequence of output of the
Paccard bellfoundry.
"The Founder's Bell", D (145 Hz), 310-1-28[?], Gillett & Johnston, 1926
PNB-First Union Bank Building (rooftop cupola)
One South Broad Street, at Penn Square
LL: N 39.95139, W 75.16351 Site locator map
Commissioned by Rodman Wanamaker as a memorial to his father, John Wanamaker,
founder of Wanamaker's Department Store,
this was the largest tuned bell in the world when it was made.
It was also intended to celebrate the sesquicentennial of the USA
(15 tons would be one short ton per decade), and was planned to be rung
for the first time on the Fourth of July; that did not happen,
and the planned weight was increased.
Initially it was hung dead on the roof of the original store building.
However, that proved to be inadequate, and in the 1930s it was
moved to its present location (then Wanamaker's new men's store,
originally known as the Lincoln-Liberty building)
and rehung for swinging in a much taller frame.
It no longer swings, but does strike the hour from 8am to 4pm daily.
This was the Philadelphia National Bank Building for a time,
and still bears the PNB initials.
Diameter 290 cm.
Links:
> English newspapers (sample from January 1926
here)
reported the order for this bell at its initially planned weight.
> American newspapers reported its
arrival in the USA
on December 21, 1926. There is a
photo of it
being lightered ashore in the New York harbor,
hanging from a crane on a barge pulled by a tugboat.
> The arrival of the bell in Philadelphia on Dec.22 was
reported by a newspaper
the next day, with notes about how it compared to huge bells of Eurasia
and how it was expected to be used.
On the same day, other newspapers (sample
here)
reported its hoisting onto the roof of the Wanamaker store,
and compared it to some notable American bells.
Ceremonies on the roof
marking the fiftieth birthday of the Philadelphia store
included the dedication of the Founder's Bell and an address
broadcast to employees assembled in the grand court on the first floor.
Newspaper announcements included a
photo
of Rodman Wanamaker and others after the dedication ceremony.
> Subsequently, the great bell joined others in
ringing in the
new year of 1927.A few months later, Philadelphians were
wakened in the night
by the 2 a.m. testing of the great bell for use in Founder's Day commemoration.
> Relocation of the bell from the rooftop of the store was
reported in early 1931;
in the bell tower atop the Liberty-Lincoln Building, then under construction,
it woud be 474 feet above street level.
> The Website of the Friends of the Wanamaker Organ has a section
about this bell (including a photo of it in the foundry)
on its page about the organ;
additional details of its origin and history can be found on their
page about Rodman Wanamaker.
> The English Wikipedia
article
on the building which houses the Founder's Bell has a photo of the building
and another of its belfry; the great bell can be seen clearly in both.
There is also a photo showing the belfry being built around the Founder's Bell,
which was already in place.
> Video (3:00)
of the Founders Bell striking noon
> Our article about this and other Wanamaker bells
> Where this bell lies in the total sequence of output of the
Gillett & Johnston bellfoundry.
"Korean Bell of Friendship", pitch?, over 17 short tons, maker?, 1976
Korean-American Peace Park Angel's Gate Park
Gaffey and 37th Streets San Pedro neighborhood
LL: N 33.70975, W 118.29382 Site locator map
Oriental profile, modelled after Emille Bell
Diameter 7.5 feet, height 12 feet
average thickness 8 inches.
Dedicated 3 Oct 1976; restored 2013, rededicated 10 Jan 2014.
The park occupies part of the former Upper Reservation of Fort MacArthur.
Links:
> The Wikipedia
article about this bell has a photo and history.
> A news
article (Dec.2013) on restoration of the bell has photos.
> link
Cathedral of the Transfiguration (Byzantine Slovak)
10350 Woodbine Avenue (Regional Road 8), near Vine Cliff Boulevard
Markham, ON L6C 1H9
Tel. (905)887-9037
LL: N 43.89361, W 79.37242 Site locator map
Largest of a set of three swinging bells
(see #25 and #32 below);
also reported as 19000 kg (~41800 lbs),
which may be gross weight with clapper and yoke.
Diameter 300 cm.
Links:
> large front photo
> Where these three bells lie in the total sequence of output of the
Paccard bellfoundry.
Harlan Crow Campanile Old Parkland office campus Contact: Crow Holdings
3819 Maple Avenue Dallas, TX 75219 T: (214)661-8000 E: info@crowholdings.com
LL: N 32.80483, W 96.81566 Site locator map
Diameter 9 feet
Links:
> Facebook posting
about the bell
> Wall Street Journal
article
(behind a paywall)
> News
article about the planned bell tower
> Short
article about the new bell, with video (1:07) of its first ringing
> Where this bell lies in the total sequence of output of the
Eijsbouts bellfoundry.
temple bell, E, 27500 lbs, Petit & Edelbrock, 1988
Odiyan Buddhist Retreat Center
Tin Barn Road (between Cazadero and Stewarts Point)
Sonoma County, California
LL: N 38.62403, W 123.31583 Site locator map
Although used as a temple bell, this is actually a Western style bell.
The foundry supplied a relatively light-weight internal clapper,
but an external striker of oriental type may have been fitted later.
(See movie link below.)
Diameter 262 cm.
The Center is not open to the public.
Links:
> The Nyingma Center in Berkeley, CA, is in some
sense the sponsoring organization for the Retreat Center.
> A CNN news article from 1996 describes the Center (as it was then).
It includes a short and small QuickTime movie clip
which opens with a very brief glimpse (and sound) of a bell being rung;
but since it appears to be an oriental style bell, it may not actually be this one.
> Where this bell lies in the total sequence of output of the
Petit & Edelbrock bellfoundry.
St.Francis de Sales Catholic Church
Madison Road at Woodburn Avenue (church address: 2900 Woodburn Avenue)
Mail: 1600 Madison Road, Cincinnati, OH 45206
Tel. (513)961-1945
LL: N 39.12978, W 84.47660 Site locator map
The largest bell ever cast in the USA; originally it swung.
It has been variously reported as 16.5, 17.5 or 18.5 tons.
Replacement for a smaller great bell, which had cracked.
(See #16 below.)
Long reputed to have note E-flat, this bell was reinspected in Aug.2007 and found
to have note F, which implies a very heavy profile.
Links and locator map:
> See the site data page for the chime in the
east tower.
> Where this bell lies in the total sequence of output of the
Whitechapel bellfoundry.
E?, ~10 1/2 tonnes, Blake Bell Company, Boston, pre-1891
City Hall
Broadway and Park Row
LL: N 40.71277, W 74.00597 Site locator map
Alarm bell; apparently destroyed by fire.
The tower was rebuilt in 1917 after two major fires,
and the 1500 lb. clock bell which now hangs there
was originally supplied to the NYC Fire Department Headquarters in 1872
by Meneely & Kimberly (Troy, NY).
"Solomon Juneau", E-flat, 10 or 11 tons, G.Campbell & Sons (Milwaukee), 1896
City Hall
200 East Wells Street
LL: N 43.04143, W 87.90969 Site locator map
Hour bell, originally struck by a manual drop-hammer (not from the clock);
the bell-ringer and his family lived in an apartment in the tower
at the level of the building's attic.
The third-largest bell ever cast in the USA,
by a regional bellfoundry which made only one chime (and that for a circus wagon)
Links:
> On the city Website, a page about City Hall
mentions this bell.
> The city's tourism
page about the city hall includes a photo of the tower and mention of the bell.
> A video
tour of the City Hall (8:50) includes the bell tower, with the sight and sound
of its great bell.
> Background article (Ja'18), an edited transcript
of the associated video, which includes views of the tower and in the tower,
including one strike on the bell.
> The Wikipedia article
about the original Solomon Juneau does not mention the attachment of his name
to this bell.
> The announcement
of a book about architecturally significant American city halls
includes a photo of Solomon Juneau (#3 of 4 in gallery).
> Building photos and statistics
from Emporis Buildings;
also see our Emporis Advice.
> Where this bell lies among others from
miscellaneous bellfoundries.
12.Puebla de Zaragoza, Puebla, Mexico - ~19000 lbs
F?, ~8 1/2 tonnes, (unknown), 1729
Immaculate Conception Cathedral Zócalo (main square)
LL: N 19.04303, W 98.19870
Bass bell of a collection of 19
Links and locator map:
> See the site data page for this "chime".
"Saint Paul Bell", E, 18700 lbs, Petit & Fritsen, 1967
First Presbyterian Church of Deerfield
824 Waukegan Road Deerfield, IL 60015
T: (847)945-0560 E: info@firstpresdf.org
LL: N 42.16829, W 87.84686 Site locator map
Donated anonymously on the occasion of the church's 90th anniversary
Cast in 1966; installed in 1967 by Verdin; stationary, with custom-designed toller.
Claimed to be "the single largest tuned bell in the world," but might more accurately
be described as the largest unaccompanied tuned church bell in the world.
Links:
> On the church Website,
the Facilities page
has a small photo of part of the bell, and it is mentioned on the
History page.
> News
article about the bell; reports of 8, 9.5 or 10 tons reflect some confusion.
> Where this bell lies in the total sequence of output of the
Petit & Fritsen bellfoundry.
"Freedom Bell", pitch?, 16380 lbs, Petit & Fritsen, 1975
Columbus Circle NE at Delaware Avenue NE
(near Union Station)
LL: N 38.89657, W 77.00653 Site locator map
A 2:1 scale replica of the Liberty Bell
Travelled around USA from 1 Apr 1975 to 31 Dec 1976
as part of the American Freedom Train.
Was in storage 1977-78; and placed here in 1981.
Links:
> The English Wikipedia
article
about the bell has a photo of it.
> The Historical Marker Database
page about this bell
has a photo of the identifying plaque.
> A tourist
page about the bell has a gallery of four large photos of it.
> The entry
from the Art Inventories Catalog of the Smithsonian American Art Museum
gives a detailed history of the bell, from its origination to its final placement.
> DC Memorials page
about the bell
> Another page
about the bell
> Another monument page
has a different photo of the bell.
> The Waymarking
page about this bell has five photos, including one of the plaque underneath it.
> Another
page
about the bell has more photos, and confuses the original maker of the Liberty Bell
with the actual maker of this bell.
(A correction has been requested.)
It correctly reports the weight.
> The story of America's Freedom Trains
(1947-49 and 1975-76) mentions this bell.
> Where this bell lies in the total sequence of output of the
Petit & Fritsen bellfoundry.
"Le Grande Marie", G, 7 tonnes 6 cwt, Mears & Stainbank(?), 1843
Notre-Dame Basilica (west tower)
Installed in 1844; began to crack shortly thereafter; was broken up and returned to
its maker for recasting.
The replacement is #9 above
Links and locator map:
> See the site data page on the chime in the
east tower.
> Where this bell lies in the total sequence of output of the
Whitechapel bellfoundry.
Basilica of the Sacred Heart
University of Notre Dame du Lac LL: N 41.70225, W 86.23983
Originally swung; now struck by electric hammer.
Links and locator map:
> See the site data page for the traditional carillon
by the same maker in the same tower.
> Where this bell lies in the total sequence of output of the
Bollée bellfoundry.
"The American Freedom Bell", F#, ~7 tons, Eijsbouts, 1999?
between the Hezekiah Alexander Homesite and
The Charlotte Museum of History
3500 Shamrock Drive
Charlotte, NC 28215
Tel. (704)568-1774
LL: N 35.23324, W 80.76650 Site locator map
Hung dead in an open rotunda at ground level, with at least one outside hammer;
rung for the first time at midnight of Jan.1,2000.
Museum open Tue-Sat 10-5 (admission charged), Sun 1-5 (free)
Links:
> On the museum Website,
a photo of the bell appears in the rotating series of photos below the page headings.
> Where this bell lies in the total sequence of output of the
Eijsbouts bellfoundry.
St.Luke's United Methodist Church Edmond 900 N Sooner Road, near Depel Drive
Edmond, OK 73034
LL: N 35.66325, W 97.42455 Site locator map
NOTE: This building complex is so new that it does not appear on closer overhead photos
or on Google StreetView.
Cast for a project that was never completed, this bell sat in
a Verdin warehouse for 20 years before being bought by St.Luke's for their Edmund campus.
Links:
> The church Website has a
page about the new bell
for the Edmond campus, including a video (3:30) about its origin;
it also mentions the carillon on the main campus
of the church.
> News article (30Mar'19) on forthcoming dedication
> Where this bell lies in the total sequence of output of the
Petit & Fritsen bellfoundry.
"Columbian Liberty and Peace Bell", G?, 13000 lbs, Meneely (Troy), 1893
Columbian Exposition
Hung dead and low to the ground, the bell disappeared after the Exposition.
"Standing six feet tall and weighing more
than six tons, the bell was cast in the likeness of the Liberty Bell at the special request
of the Daughters of the American Revolution.
People all over the world were invited to send contributions for the metal from which the bell
would be cast as a patriotic gesture to promote peace.
Historic objects such as keys to the Jefferson Davis house,
and a surveyor's chain used by George Washington were added to the hundreds of silver spoons and
thimbles donated.
Chester Meneely stated, “It came out all right although we were plenty
skeptical when all those patriotic old relics started melting and became just so much lead,
copper, silver and gold...to dull the tone.” "
(The Collector's Book of Bells, by L. Springer.)
Links:
> About the bell
> Where this bell lies in the total sequence of output of the
Meneely (Troy) bellfoundry.
Independence Hall
Chestnut Street between 5th and 6th Streets
LL: N 39.94880, W 75.15005 Site locator map
Also called the "Centennial Liberty Bell"
Open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily except Christmas and New Year's Day
Links:
> A stereo photo of the bell, with brief description (archived in 2006
> The Liberty Bell Museum
includes a list of where all the full-size replicas of the Liberty Bell
are located.
> About the Liberty Bell and the Centennial Bell,
both in Independence National Historical Park
> Where this bell lies in the total sequence of output of the
Meneely (Troy) bellfoundry.
Cathedral of the Transfiguration (Byzantine Slovak) LL: N 43.89361, W 79.37242
Middle of a set of three swinging bells
(see #4 above and #32 below);
also reported as 10000 kg (~22000 lbs),
which is probably gross weight with clapper and yoke.
Originally reported with note "G"; reinspected as "F".
In storage since 2013; formerly in the tower of the previous
Independence Park Visitor's Center (closed since 2003)
Third Street at Chestnut Street
Site locator map
Rang automatically at least twice a day.
The British people's bicentennial gift to America.
Links:
> The Photos page
of the Facebook presence
of the Trust has six photos of the Bicentennial bell
as it was uncrated from storage in October 2021.
> The complete history of the bell, plus the project to reinstall it, is reported
here, with photos;
the same Website includes contact information for the Independence Historical Trust.
> The foundry article about the Liberty Bell
mentions this bell in the penultimate paragraph.
> NPS article about removal of the bell in Jan.2013, with photo
> NPS article with photo and brief description of the bell
> About the project
to install it in a renovated garden at 3rd & Walnut
> Stock image of bell tower where it formerly hung
> In a page
with multiple news items from 17 Feb 2020, the last item is about
a new major donation towards the Bicentennial Bell Garden.
> Where this bell lies in the total sequence of output of the
Whitechapel bellfoundry.
Old City Hall
60 Queen Street West, at Bay Street
LL: N 43.65240, W 79.38176 Site locator map
Hour bell with ting-tang quarters (A 1907#, E 2915#)
Also reported as 107-0-0 (11984#)
Links:
> The official City of Toronto Website
> Video (1:08) with views
of the G&J clock; half hour + hour strike (3 o'clock)
> Video of the clock itself,
striking the 3d quarter
> Building photos and statistics
from Emporis Buildings;
also see our Emporis Advice.
> Where this bell lies in the total sequence of output of the
Gillett & Johnston bellfoundry.
Église Saint-Zéphirin (Catholic Church)
Rue Saint-Joseph at Rue Commerciale
Mail: 308, rue St-Joseph
La Tuque G9X 1L1
T: (819)523-3166
LL: N 47.44119, W 72.78420 Site locator map
The only North American great bell by Taylor that is not in a carillon
Links:
> Where this bell lies in the total sequence of output of the
Taylor bellfoundry.
Friendship Missionary Baptist Church
3400 Beatties Ford Road
Charlotte, NC 28216
Tel. (704)391-6600, Fax (704)391-5800
LL: N 35.28016, W 80.85600 Site locator map
Bass bell of a peal of 5 (G,C,F,G,A)
Addition of 43 bells (with electric action) is planned.
Links:
> The church Website has a photo gallery
about the ceremony of blessing the bells in April 2006,
just before their installation.
(The freestanding bell tower which is visible in one photo is associated with the older
building across the street.)
The "west elevation" photo gallery has more recent pictures of the tower
of the present main building, with some of the bells clearly visible.
> Where this bell lies in the total sequence of output of the
Paccard bellfoundry.
Shove Chapel The Colorado College
1000 North Nevada Avenue (near Cache la Poudre Street)
LL: N 38.84786, W 104.82165 Site locator map
The hour bell (at the diminished octave) of a 5-bell set
tuned for Cambridge (Westminster) quarters.
The chapel and bells were the gift of trustee Eugene P. Shove (rhymes with grove),
as a memorial to seven generations of his ancestors, all clergymen in England or America.
Original G&J clock and striking mechanism disused; independent electric action by
Schulmerich strikes quarters and hour but does not operate the single original clock dial
on the west face of the tower.
NOTE: Some descriptions of these bells give a weight of 11200 lbs for the hour bell;
that is exactly 5 imperial tons (100 cwt),
which must be an estimated weight (before tuning).
The actual weight as shipped was recorded by G&J as 10759 lbs.
Links:
> The college Website
no longer contains information about the bells.
> A newspaper article
gives an extensive history and description of this clock chime.
> Where this bell lies in the total sequence of output of the
Gillett & Johnston bellfoundry.
Cathedral of the Transfiguration (Byzantine Slovak) LL: N 43.89361, W 79.37242
Smallest of a set of three swinging bells
(see #4 and #25 above);
also reported as 6000 kg (~13200 lbs),
which may be the gross weight with clapper and yoke.
East tower
Basilique-Cathédrale Sainte-Cécile
(Cathedral Basilica of St.Cecilia)
rue l'Église at Rue de la Fabrique
Mail: 11 rue de l'Église (suite 128)
Salaberry-de-Valleyfield J6T 1J5
T: (450) 373-0674
E: secretaire@basilique-cathedrale.com
LL: N 45.25510, W 74.13538 Site locator map
Largest of a motor-swung peal of six bells; the others are in the west tower.
All were baptized on June, 30th 1935.
Links:
> Website (in French)
with history and description of the building and bells.
The weights given there appear to be pattern weights, as the finished weights
from Whitechapel records are much less.
> Where this bell (with its companions) lies in the total sequence of output of the
Whitechapel bellfoundry.
Rose Tower
Westminster Presbyterian Church
1200 Marquette Avenue
Minneapolis, MN 55403
T: (612)332-3421
E: news@wpc-mpls.org
LL: N 44.97102, W 93.27663
Site locator map
Largest of a peal of six bells, swung by motor;
to be installed atop the new Rose Tower of the church by Easter 2020.
Links:
> On the church Website, a
page about the project
has a small architectural rendering showing the proposed tower and bell frame.
As of Sep.2019, the tower and related buildings are complete,
but the bell frame is not yet installed.
> An article on bells in Minneapolis/St.Paul
mentions the recent casting of these bells and describes the planned installation.
> News
article (Apr.2020) on completion of the 6-bell peal, with large photo of the bells
in their frame and an audio clip from the broadcast version of the article.
One can hear the ringing of the bourdon near the beginning,
and all six ringing together at the end.
> Where this bell lies in the total sequence of output of the
Paccard bellfoundry.
Cast for the city in 1854, this bell was put into use in February 1855.
It was temporarily located in the tower of First Baptist Church of Chicago,
but when the cupola of the new courthouse was completed in July of that year,
the bell was moved there.
It was destroyed in 1871, in the great fire that consumed one-third of the city.
Links:
> Stereopticon slide
of the remains of this bell after the 1871 fire
(Can you cross your eyes to see the integrated image in three dimensions?)
> Where this bell lies in the total sequence of output of the
Rincker bellfoundries.
Institution name and address
Contact information (if available)
LL: Latitude and Longitude for GPS
Site locator map link (Some of the above will be omitted if there is a Link [see below] to a site data page
about other bells at this place.)
