McFarland Memorial Bell Tower
| McFarland Carillon | |
|---|---|
 | |
 | |
| Alternative names |
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| General information | |
| Type | Bell tower housing a carillon |
| Location | South Quad |
| Town or city | Urbana, Illinois |
| Country | United States |
| Inaugurated | October 22, 2010[1] |
| Cost | $550,000 (bells) |
| Owner | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign |
| Height | 185 feet (56 m) |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect(s) | Fred Guyton |
| Architecture firm | Peckham Guyton Albers & Viets, Inc. |
| Other designers | Petit & Fritsen (bellfounding) |
The McFarland Memorial Bell Tower is a 185-foot (56 m) bell tower located on the South Quad of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. The tower was approved by the University's trustees in 2005 and built in 2008-2009. It was designed by Fred Guyton of Peckham, Guyton, Albers & Viets.[2] The carillon has 48 bells.
History and description[edit]
The carillon project began as an attempt to upgrade and renovate the Altgeld Chimes of Altgeld Hall Tower, until it became clear that this would not be possible. A free-standing campanile had been considered as a possibility for the campus since 1913.[3] The funding for the project came from Harold Richard "Dick" McFarland, a graduate from the university's College of Agriculture in 1952. After the death of his wife Sarah "Sally" McFarland due to ovarian cancer, McFarland donated $1.5 million for the construction of the tower, which would be named in her honor.[4]
The carillon's 48 bells were cast by the Petit & Fritsen bell foundry and were transported to the United States via boat. The total cost of the bells was estimated at $550,000.[3]
Local residents and students have attempted to climb the tower, and at least one has fallen while attempting the climb. [5]
"Eye of Sauron" prank[edit]
In the early hours of Sunday, September 21, 2008, students hung a replica of the "Eye of Sauron" in the top half of the tower. The eye is from J. R. R. Tolkien's novel The Lord of the Rings and is a symbol of the principal antagonist. The University of Illinois Police did not identify the pranksters. The eye was removed from the tower the next morning. [6]
See also[edit]
- Shafer Tower – Bell tower in Muncie, Indiana, U.S.
- Moser Tower and Millennium Carillon – Bell tower and carillon in Naperville, Illinois, US
- Cook Carillon Tower – Bell instrument in Allendale, Michigan, US
- Century Tower (University of Florida) – Bell tower in Florida, United States
References[edit]
- ^ "McFarland Carillon Brings Music to the ACES Quad". ACES News. September 28, 2010. Retrieved January 6, 2020.
- ^ Cornish, Sabryna; Forrest, Sharita (July 21, 2005). "Trustees Discuss new Hotel/Restaurant". Inside Illinois.
- ^ a b "McFarland Bell Tower" on Explore CU
- ^ Smith, Missy (September 3, 2008). "Local man funds bell tower construction". Daily Illini. Archived from the original on November 1, 2013.
- ^ Kiser, Michael (October 13, 2017). "UI student injured after climbing and falling from bell tower". News Gazette. Champaign, IL. Retrieved November 29, 2020.
- ^ Spector, Stephen (September 23, 2008). "No Suspect in Sight for Eye of Sauron Prank". Daily Illini. Archived from the original on March 7, 2016.
External links[edit]
