Birmingham Community Can
Help the Hill School Bell to Ring Again
(City of Birmingham, Feb. 19, 2015)
A special fundraising initiative is underway to raise $14,102 remaining of a $40,000 project to move the City of Birmingham’s historical Hill School Bell to a protective structure (inspired by the original cupola) outdoors.
The Hill School was built in 1869, the pride of Birmingham schools. It stood on the corner of Chester and Merrill Streets. Students from kindergarten through twelfth grade heard the bell from its cupola (bell tower) on the roof several times a day, making it part of every day’s routine. In 1969, the building was demolished, but the bell was saved by the school administration and ultimately found its way to the museum in 2010.
Funds have been raised through donations, events, and a Rosso Family Foundation grant. Now, residents have a chance to contribute to this exciting opportunity to complete the project before school opens in the fall.
“We’re so pleased by the generous support we have already received for this initiative,” said Leslie Pielack, Birmingham Historical Museum Director. “Our goal is to raise the remaining funds by the end of the school year so that the work can be completed by the fall.”
For more information and to contribute to the fundraiser, visit www.bhamgov.org/hillschoolbell or call the Birmingham Historical Museum (open Wednesday through Saturday from 1 p.m. – 4 p.m.) at (248) 530-1928.
City of Birmingham – A Walkable Community. Visit the city’s web site at www.bhamgov.org.