Old Main Bell

Identification Plaque

In 1860 Illinois State Normal University celebrated completion of Old Main, the first building construction on campus. For two decades a bell in the building’s tower chimed reminders of the hour to the campus community. When the original bell was cracked beyond repair in 1880, the quiet was so deafening that replacement efforts began immediately. This bell was installed two years later in the tower where it remained until the tower was dismantled in 1916. It has since become a treasured piece of history linking generations past, present, and future.

Description

Old Main Bell is one of the most treasured historical artifacts on the Illinois State campus and was once a unique feature of the University’s first building. Old Main was completed in 1860 and dominated the campus for nearly 100 years. One key element of the building was the bell, which tolled the time. However, the original bell cracked in 1880 and was replaced in 1884. The replacement bell is the bell that now stands on the Quad. It was retrieved at the time of Old Main’s demolition in the 1940s and “The story is that, in 1969, as a part of the anti-Vietnam War activities, the bell was tolled,” said the archivist Jo Ann Rayfield, and now rung only on special occasions, including the University’s annual Founders Day. 

Reference Sources

• Meckstroth, Steve, and Mark Schmitt. Campus art: A walking tour of selected artwork on the campus of Illinois State University. Normal: University Marketing and Communications, 2003.