Ringing in repairs: Church bell gets a major lift

The First Presbyterian Church in Chipley took a significant step in preserving a piece of its history on Wednesday, as it unveiled its historic church bell for the first time since 1938.

The bell, which originally rang out in 1904, has been a longstanding symbol of the church’s heritage. It was moved to the new bell tower when the current church structure was built in 1938. After many decades, the bell tower has deteriorated and is no longer structurally sound.

“The bell is supported in the brick, and there’s just no way we could fix it now. So we had to kind of build a whole new structure within the structure to support the bell,” explained contractor Stephen Yates. Contractors have lifted the bell out of the tower to begin the necessary repairs.

“The bell will stay on the ground until they rebuild it. Tear out the floor that currently holds the bell, then rebuild it according to the specs that the structural engineer provided, and then put the bell back in,” detailed church member Cheryl McCall. The church community believes that once the repairs are completed, the bell will continue to ring for another hundred years, serving as a staple for the community.

During the renovation, the bell will be displayed in front of the church, allowing congregants and visitors to appreciate its historical significance. Once the project is finished, the bell will be re-hung in the renovated tower.

The $25,000 bell tower renovation is expected to take just over a week for contractors to complete, ensuring the preservation of this cherished artifact for future generations.