CHAPEL HILL : USA - NC

*Location:

   Morehead-Patterson Bell Tower
   University of North Carolina
   South Road at Stadium Drive
   Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
   LL: N 35.90865, W 79.04925

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*Player:

   David T. Steele
   310 Joyner Dorm
   215 Raleigh Street
   UNC Residence Halls
   Chapel Hill, NC  27514
   T: (919)914-6103  or  (980)622-1317
   E: masterbellringer@unc.edu

*Contact:

   Jeff Fuchs, Director of Athletic Bands
   212 Hill Hall
   Campus Box 3320
   University of North Carolina
   Chapel Hill, NC  27599-3320
   T: (919)962-5695
   E: jfuchs@email.unc.edu

*Schedule:

   Daily at 0801, 1202, 1801, 2101.

*Remarks:

   Added semitones: sharp 4th & flat 7th.
   Chimestand removed, presumably on
   first electrification in 1967 (which
   was electric keyboard + roll player);
   locally-built practice chimestand
   remains in the tower.
   New MIDI keyboard prepares music for
   automatic play; no direct play.
   New bells may be dated 1997, but were
   installed in 1998.
   Before the expansion, this chime was
   often claimed to duplicate that at
   West Point, NY; actually, the same
   foundry made seven chimes of this
   size and weight--all survive. 

*Technical data:

   Electric-automatic chime of 14 bells
   Pitch of heaviest bell is D  in the middle octave
   Transposition is up  2 semitone(s)
   Keyboard range:     C G   /    NONE  
   There are two added semitones
   The instrument was enlarged in 1998
     with  2 bells made by Petit & Fritsen
   Prior history:
     In 1931, the instrument was begun with 12 bells
       by Meneely/Troy
   Year of latest technical information source is 2002

Additional information on the technical history of this instrument can be found in a database printout.

*Links:

The UNC Website includes a campus tour page with the history of the tower and some photos.
A more extended history can be found in the middle of a page on campus landmarks.
The campus map is a PDF download (78KB), and is readable if you enlarge it to 200% or more; the bell tower is just north of the stadium, which is in the center of the map.
A UNC-CH facilities database will provide additional information when the Facility Name pull-down menu is set to "Bell Tower".  A different photo of the tower is available there by clicking Photo after the General information about the tower is displayed.

Photos by Travis R. Kephart © 2002; used by permission:

• bells showing old pusher solenoids on turned original clappers, and new external solenoids and hammers.
• bells showing two added trebles with external mechanism.
• practice chimestand, probably not supplied by Meneely; note ends of xylophone bars below keys to provide sound.
• electric keyboard and roll player from 1967 (disconnected).

From elsewhere on the Web:

• A state tour page gives a different perspective on the history of the tower.
• A student photo of the tower.
• A photographer's page has the best picture of the tower.
• Another picture by a visitor.

Where the initial phase of this work lies in the sequence of output of the Meneely (Troy) bellfoundry.
Where the final phase of this work lies in the sequence of output of the Petit & Fritsen bellfoundry, in this region and in the world.

Ranking among all North American chimes by size (number of bells).

Index to all tower bell instruments in NC.

*Status:

   This page was built from the database on 21-Apr-07
   based on textual data last updated on 2007/04/20
   and on technical data last updated on 2002/07/26

Explanations of page format and keyboard range are available.

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