Jacksonville Historical Society unveils Bicentennial Bell
David Auchter, chairman of the board of the Jacksonville Historical Society, and Aaron Gibson-Evans, Bicentennial Bell chair and fifth-generation Jacksonville resident, unveiled the Jacksonville Bicentennial Bell for a celebratory crowd at the Jacksonville Main Library on June 7. Gibson-Evans had the honor of being the first to ring the bell.
The bronze, 225-pound bell will be on display in the Pajcic Promenade of the main library until a permanent site is secured. One side is etched with the Bicentennial logo and the other has the seal of Jacksonville. The bell was manufactured by Verdin, a Cincinnati-based company who restored the 1901 Greenleaf and Crosby clock at Laura and Adams Street after it was struck by a car. The idea for the bell was conceived by Jacksonville Historical Society Chief of Staff Kate Hallock to contribute to the preservation of Jacksonville’s rich legacy.
Jacksonville turned 200 in June 2022. Donations for permanent inscriptions on the monument for individuals or families and businesses are still being accepted.
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