Farewell, Old Bell
The New York Public Library has its iconic stone lions. At Burlington Public Library, we had a bell.
For over sixty years, the historic village bell, first rung in 1894 as the Town’s official timekeeper and fire alarm, has stood as a familiar and welcoming presence outside the Library's main entrance as our unofficial greeter.
Its place at the Library was thanks to the vision and dedication of then-Library Board Chair William Gilbert, who led the campaign to rescue the bell from its decade-long storage—first in a field, then in a Works Department yard—and restore it to public view in front of the Library on Elizabeth Street in 1962.
Town Bell at Burlington Public Library on Elizabeth Street, 1960s
When the Library packed up its books and belongings and moved a few blocks to its current Central Park location in 1970, the town bell made the journey with us, taking pride of place in front of the new Burlington Central Library.
Town bell at Central Library main entrance, 1970s
It even rang at the building’s official opening on November 15, 1970, a community celebration presided over by the Governor General of Canada.
Michael Rose, the son of BPL Board Chair, Frank Rose, rings the bell at the opening ceremony.
During Central's renovation and expansion from 2003 to 2005, the bell was temporarily stored offsite, waiting for its next home at the new north entrance.
Heavy equipment was needed to remove the bell and its concrete mooring in 2003
Since then, the bell has tolled only twice more: once for the reopening of Central Library after renovations in 2005, and again in 2018 as part of the Bells of Peace ceremony marking 100 years since the end of the First World War.
Over the decades, this 1,000-pound cultural heritage landmark has offered countless visitors a chance to admire its timeless beauty and craftsmanship, as well as learn about its past. We've loved watching generations of curious children step inside the bell—and the occasional adult duck under it, too!
As we prepare to say goodbye, we are filled with gratitude for the opportunity to have been the bell’s proud caretakers. On July 28, it will be moved to its new home at the City of Burlington Fire Headquarters, where it will continue to be honoured as an enduring symbol of our community’s heritage.
Photo sources: Burlington Public Library Collection, Burlington Digital Archive, and Burlington Public Library
