VALLEY FORGE : USA - PA 

   Washington Memorial National Carillon
   National Patriots Bell Tower

*Location:

   Washington Memorial Chapel (Episcopal)
   Valley Forge National Historical Park
   Port Kennedy Road (PA Highway 23)
     near Quarry Road
   Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, USA
   LL: N 40.10468, W 75.43767
Site locator map  or  [ MapQuest map ]  or  Bing Maps
Also see our own Map Use Hints.

*Player:

   Doug Gefvert   (C)
   431 Jean Drive
   King of Prussia, PA  19406-3908
   H: (610)265-1462   W: (610)265-5211
   E: dgefvert@verizon.net
*Past carillonneurs: 
   1953-85: Frank Péchin Law  (d.1985)
   1985-99: Frank Della Penna

*Contact:

   Washington Memorial Chapel
   P.O. Box 98
   Valley Forge, PA  19481-0098
   T: (610)783-0120   F: (610)783-0330
   E: wmcdefendersgate@aol.com

*Schedule:

   Before and after 1115 Sunday services,
   before National Society DAR State
   Services, and for special events;
   guest recitals Wed. 1930 Jul-Aug.
   Tower open daily 10-5, Memorial Day to
   Labor Day; admission fee.

      The latest summer schedule of recitals and recitalists

*Remarks:

   Bells installed incrementally over
   many years; the first 14 formed the
   Star Spangled Banner National Peace
   Chime.  Original instrument
   reinstalled in present tower in 1953;
   A.Bigelow built new keyboard.
   6 basses below cabin;
   all bells hung on timber.
   Tower also houses The Justice Bell, a
   full-size replica of the Liberty Bell,
   cast in 1915 by Meneely/Troy.

*Technical data: 

   Traditional carillon of 58 bells
   Pitch of heaviest bell is A# in the bass octave
   Transposition is nil (concert pitch)
   Keyboard range:     A#G   /    A#A   
   There are no missing bass semitones
   There is a non-identical practice console
   The instrument was enlarged in 1963
     with  2 bells made by Paccard     
   Prior history:
     In 1953, the instrument was enlarged to 56 bells
       by Paccard     
       (28 bells were added in and/or remain from that work.)
     In 1931, the instrument was enlarged to 37 bells
       by Meneely/Wvlt
       (14 bells were added in and/or remain from that work.)
     In 1926, the instrument was begun with 14 bells
       by Meneely/Wvlt
       (14 bells remain from that work.)
   Year of latest technical information source is 1991
Additional information on the technical history of this instrument can be found in a database printout.

*Links:

The home page of Washington Memorial Chapel has a drawing of the bell tower.  Other pages at this Website describe the carillon in detail (with pictures of the bells).

A photo of the building is included in a page from the Valley Forge Historic Park.

A photo of the tower and facade is part of a well-annotated set of photos about Valley Forge.
Photo of tower
Photo of building and tower
Photo of building and tower

Tale of a blogger's visit to Valley Forge, with a video and a few photos taken in the tower

Waymarking page

Also here is the Justice Bell, a copy of the Liberty Bell made by Meneely/Troy in 1915 to promote women's suffrage:

Where the initial phase of this work lies in the sequence of output of the Meneely (Watervliet) bellfoundry.
Where the second phase of this work lies in the sequence of output of the Meneely (Watervliet) bellfoundry.
Where the third phase of this work lies in the sequence of output of the Paccard bellfoundry, in this region and in the world.
Where the final phase of this work lies in the sequence of output of the Paccard bellfoundry, in this region and in the world.

Ranking among all North American traditional carillons by weight.
Ranking among all North American traditional carillons by size (number of bells).
Ranking among all North American concert class carillons by year of completion.

Index to all traditional carillons in PA.

Index to all tower bell instruments in PA.

*Status: 

   This page was built from the database on 13-Nov-08
   based on textual data last updated on 2008/10/02
   and on technical data last updated on 1992/12/31

Explanations of page format and keyboard range are available.

[GCNA Home Page] [Site data top page] [Credits and Disclaimers] [Feedback]

Please send comments or questions to csz_stl@swbell.net