The Frederick County History Bell

The Frederick County History Bell. . [East Panel] , This bell was cast in Frederick on April 1 and 2, 2006, with public participation and great festivity. Frederick County "Honey Bee" participants in grades 3-5 helped cast the bell by passing ingots of metal to furnace workers to be melted., While preparing the bell mold, artisans gave meticulous attention to the Frederick County seal. Next, nearly 500 pounds of metal were melted down and, after reaching 2200 degrees Fahrenheit, the lava-like fiery liquid was poured into the bell mold., [North Panel] , The Frederick County History Bell is the most recent addition to a collection of community instruments that have rung for more than two centuries. Historically, local bells have sounded the time on the quarter hour, proclaimed funerals and weddings, announced the opening of the court, called people into action, and heralded important events., Today, Frederick is a rare place as three major western bell instruments are located within mutual hearing distance: the Trinity Chapel Chimes (1893), the Joseph D. Baker Memorial Carillon (1941), and the Calvary United Methodist Memorial Peal (2004)., A gift to the community from the Randall Charitable Trust Donor Advised Fund of the Community Foundation of Frederick County, 2006, [West Panel] , Bells are often heard across the hills and valleys of Frederick County and especially in the City of Frederick. The Frederick County History Bell was added to our community's bells in 2006. Cast by the Verdin Company of Ohio using the world's only "traveling" bell forge, the bell is dedicated to Judge Edward S. Delaplaine (1893-1989), a local historian and descendent of John Thomas Schley (1712-1790), one of Frederick's founders., [South Panel] , Local elected officials swing sledgehammers to crack open the mold and release the Frederick County History Bell., Foundry workers expose the unpolished bell., The History Bell is rung every year for the opening of Bell and History Days in early April, the beginning of the museum season in Frederick County., [Dedication on the Bell] , Frederick County History Bell , Given in Memory of , Judge Edward S. Delaplaine 1893-1989 , Randal Charitable Trust , Donor Advised Fund , April 1-2, 2006.