Boston Celebrates Westborough Bell on Sunday

Westborough residents are invited to help ring in a new chapter of history at Boston’s Old South Meeting House this Sunday, Oct. 16 as its beloved 1801 original Paul Revere bell is lifted to its new home in the newly restored Old South Meeting House Clock Tower. The Bell Raising Celebration is free to the public.

"The City of Boston is delighted to celebrate the installation of a Paul Revere bell to the historic steeple of Old South Meeting House,” said Mayor Thomas Menino, who is attending the event. “The tower of Old South Meeting House has been of great importance to the people of Boston, who have listened for the hourly strike of its bell since 1731 and have trusted its reliable clock since 1770."

Festivities will begin at 1 p.m. on the plaza across from the meeting house. The bell, part of Westborough’s history for over 200 years, will be on display beginning at 11 a.m. for a final close-up look by the public.

Mayor Thomas Menino and Old South Church’s past Reverend, Jim Crawford, will be among the prominent speakers to commemorate the historic event. The Boston Landmarks Orchestra, the Old South Church Choir, Back Bay Ringers and the Boston Children’s Chorus will celebrate in music and song the installation of the bell.

Festivities will culminate with a city-wide bell ringing at 2 p.m. as the bell is lifted up to the steeple. All participants are encouraged to bring their own bells to help ring in the occasion. Nearby notable bells that will ring out include the Park Street Church bell and the King’s Chapel bell, the largest bell ever made by Paul Revere.

In Colonial Boston, the Old South Meeting House bell was part of everyday life, ringing out on the hour and gathering people together for services, meals and events. Sadly, the historic landmark has been without a bell the last 130 years.

Old South Meeting House was planning to cast a new bell when it learned of the , one of only 26 bells known to be cast by Paul Revere himself. In June, the 876-pound bell was purchased and to Boston. It has been on display since June and has been viewed by over 25,000 visitors.

“We are delighted that this historic Paul Revere bell can return to the place of its making -- Boston -- and that we can continue to give this remarkable piece of American history the care it received for over 200 years in the town of Westborough, Massachusetts," said Robin Robin DeBlosi, director of marketing at the Old South Meeting House.

Once fully installed with the new 1766 Tower Clock, the Revere bell will ring out on the hour in Boston. “This bell is going to be heard by a huge number of people," said Emily Curran, executive director at the Old South Meeting House. "It will be well-loved and well-used. It's very exciting.” 

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