About Our Carillon

Our instrument is, in fact, not a carillon, which requires a minimum of 23 bells. Our instrument has 10 bells spanning just more than an octave and is technically called a "chime". It was installed in 1922 by the Meneeley Company of Troy, New York. The bells are housed in the highest level of the bell tower. The bells are played from a 'clavier' in a room below the bells. Wooden levers on the clavier are connected by airplane wire which extends up into the bell tower to a metal clapper inside each bell.

The biggest bell is not stationary. It is able to swing and can alternatively be played by pulling on a long rope. Over the years, the chime has been used to begin and end our Sunday worship service and to mark special occasions, including weddings, funerals, New Years and community events. One historic moment when the instrument was used was following the announcement of the Supreme Court decision legalizing same-sex marriage in June 2015.