Mistras Group
John Eachus and Associates
PO Box 568 
Lebanon GA Georgia
United States 30146
Phone: +1 770 975 7375, Fax: +1 770 974 0007
Bells, clocks, steeples, towers and other architectural accents from John Eachus & Associates John Eachus & Associates John & Martha Eachus 610 Chelan Way PO Box 21 Gatlinburg, Tennessee 37738 Member of Gatlinburg?s Arts & Crafts Tour Alabama: 205-532-4612 Tennessee: 865-436-2397 National: 800-788-0986 Architectural Bells: Churches, Colleges, Courthouses, Shopping Centers, Universities Alabama Historic Preservation Department 1800?s documents show that the local communities contracted with churches to sound their bell at specific times of the day, audibly announcing to people the time of day. Mr. WW Law, Savannah, explained that in times of drought, he would sit in the steeple at night, open the louvers and watch for fire in the thatched roofed buildings. When fire was sighted, Mr. Law would ring the bell wildly, announcing the alert into the community. Each church in Savannah had a different size bell, thus a different musical note sounded the fire alarm, locating the neighborhood where the fire was. In 1934, the State of Georgia passed a law prohibiting thatched roofs. The courthouse clock tower was a statement of wealth that only the centers of commerce could afford. In 1910, 43 Georgia commerce centers had courthouses with clock towers. Each courthouse provided visual time on clock dials and audible time on a cast bronze bell(s). The bell provided audible time up to seven miles into the countryside, whereas, the dials were visible for only a few blocks. The textile mills often provided communities with a bell to be sounded for shift changes. In Tallassee, Alabama, a bronze bell, now sitting in the city park, inscription says the bell as sounded for the 3 AM shift change. The farm bell was rung for various messages and timekeeping on the local farms and plantations. Farm Bells were made in three sizes: Farm Bell #1: 14? diameter 9? height 35 lbs. Bracket: 19? X 25? tall. Farm Bell #2: 16? 10? 50 lbs. Bracket: 20? X 26? tall Farm Bell #3: 18? 11? 70 lbs. Bracket: 22 ½? X 29? Church Bell #4: 19 ½?
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