The Historic City Hall Bell

The Historic City Hall Bell. Property of the Daughters of Utah Pioneers. The bell atop this City Hall has a long history in American Fork. It was originally purchased for $211.17 in 1887, and was placed in the tower of the old City Hall at Main and Center Streets. Sorrow, joy, disaster, emergency and other messages were relayed as the bell's long rope was pulled., The bell was moved when the new City Hall was built in 1903. This was no small task as the bell weighs 1200 pounds., When City Hall was modernized in 1959, workers found the bell supports were rotting and the belfrey was taken down., The bell was given to the American Fork camps of the Daughters of Utah Pioneers to be preserved. They placed it on a monument in Robinson Park, a place rich in pioneer memories and close to the relic hall which reflects the culture and life of pioneer American Fork. There it remained for 46 years., When plans were made to restore City Hall, citizen groups knew the building would not be complete without the original bell. The bell is the property of the American Fork DUP camps and their bylaws do not permit artifacts which have been donated to be returned. After conferring with the International Society of Daughters of Utah Pioneers, it was decided the bell could be relocated. The City and the DUP had the same goals, preserving the bell., The bell was removed from the park monument and prepared to again be placed atop City Hall on August 16, 2006. A crane lifted the bell first and the new cupola second to once again crown American Fork City Hall.