Another Steamboat Bell ??

Buckeye Bells

There must be several on here who can rundown the history of Buckeye Bell. Wasn't it the company founded by G.W. Coffin? Verdin Bell, another Cincy foundry, has been casting bells since 1842, and now they can come right to your location and cast a bell right before your eyes.*

Perhaps the folks at Houmas House know the story behind this beautiful bell that probably came down the river aboard a Ragtown steamboat as either an operating fixture or else as freight.

Don't you think the plantation bell was used to communicate with those away from the house in the days way before cell phones? This may have been a stock bell that could have been used for any of the services Cap'n Ted specified and not made especially for a particular boat.

Doesn't the BoL have a Buckeye Bell on the roof?

* The Bell Foundry on Wheels established by The Verdin Company

Also: Index - Vanduzen

PS: Bells, while great to look at, are intended for the ears. Bells are made to be heard. Personally, I hate to see a bell mounted where it can never be rung. Thankfully, bells are still announcing the hours in Aurora, Indiana, and when everything else is quite, their voices can be heard up on Dutch Hollow Creek where I live.

The Buckeye Bell Foundry started in 1837, A good company history appears in "That Vanishing Sound" by L Springer published in 1976. in in 1848 there were 12 foundries making steamboat bells. Buckeye made the largest a 720 bell for the str Bulletin. The name was used into the 1950's by E. W. Vanduzen Company of Cincinnati. In 1845 the foundry made 45 steamboat bells, , in 1844 39 sb bells in 1843 36 sb bells. I have seen a number of Buckeye bells but the on at Houmas house is the most ornate one I recall seeing.
Utriverrat

Houmas House made the Salt Lake City Deseret News today:
This plantation house also known as The Sugar Palace escaped being burned during the Civil War as the owner convinced the Union army by declaring immunity as a subject of the British Crown no to burn the plantation house. This plantation was the largest sugar plantation in the US and was purchased in 1858 by the Irishman John Burnside for 1 million dollars. By 1860 he was considered the wealthiest man in Louisiana and he entertained lavishly. My guess is that the bell may well have been on the plantation for a long time and was used to awaken the Slaves and later share croppers and let them know when it was time to go to work, stop for lunch etc.
utriverrat

Interestingly, I spent yesterday riding the luncheon cruise on the Belle of Cincinnati with Captain Alan Bernstein, and one of my goals was to photograph the bell on that vessel. The story of this lovely bell, cast by Hanks of St. Louis, was told to me by Doc Hawley. It was first on the [I]Grey Eagle, built in 1892 at Howard. But that vessel sank in the ice of 1918 in Paducah. A few years later, while dredging, they hit the bell. Divers retrieved it, and it was placed on the brand new Cape Girardeau in 1925. Of course, we know she became the Gordon C. Greene in 1935. When Letha sold the boat later, she removed the bell, intending to place it on Tom's grave. But she never did. She loaned it to a friend who owned the Chaperon, and it was there when Captain Bernstein bought that vessel. Now it graces his Belle. I wish my photography could capture this lovely bell. (Please pardon the italics. Once I triggered them the first time, they would not turn off!).

Yes, on my family place on the Ohio River - there was a bell there for years. It was hung high on a pole. My grandmother always said it was used in cases of emergency - like once when a barn caught fire and the neighbors were called by ringing the bell to come help put out the fire. Several head of cattle and horses were lost though.

We also think it might have come from a steamboat that sunk near the farm landing. But I don't recall which boat. Keith might possibly have this information. It was a small bell compared to the bells we see on the boats today - like on the DELTA QUEEN and the BELLE of CINCINNATI.

Jo Ann: I remember Bert Fenn talking about the bell that hung on the post at Cedar Farm, but he never was able to track down any information about it. Was it sold at the auction or do the Cook's still have it ?

Mary: Thanks for sharing your photo of the roof bell. About ten years ago there was "confusion" as to its origin and both Virginia Bennett and Doc thought it MIGHT have come from the FERD HEROLD, although Doc was dubious. So I launched a search mission and in my Eagle Packet Company files, I unearthed some OLD news articles which told of Capt. Buck Leyhe requesting that both the bell and whistle of the GREY EAGLE be salvaged from the wreckage after she was lost (along with the Eagle steamers PEORIA and ALTON) in the 1918 ice gorge at Paducah. Capt. Buck had them installed on the new steamer CAPE GIRARDEAU at Howard's in 1923. Unless it's been removed, the whistle is exhibited in the Ohio River Museum at Marietta. It's nice to know that beautiful big bell still rings on the river!

Photos:
(1) Str. GREY EAGLE - note bell at end of skylight roof.
(2) Str. CAPE GIRARDEAU with top of bell in view.
(3) Str. GORDON C. GREENE roof at sunset showing bell.

Unfortunately, the bell was stolen many years ago. We figure it was melted down and sold for the price of the metal.

Keith--any more pictures of the bell in the old days? I just did a write-up for Captain Alan to hand out, and would love to have an old picture to use with it, instead of my new picture! What do you know about the old frame that used to be around it, with the dolphins? He says the metal just fell apart. Any pictures of that?

I'll check my photo files over the weekend for more bell pictures. I think that I have one, taken by Ruth Ferris when she was a passenger on the CAPE GIRARDEAU -- and I think there are some others of the bell, taken after the boat was the GORDON C. GREENE.

Stay tuned!

Mary I just looked through all my photos taken during surveys and inspections for Johnston and BB and the bell on the Chaperone and the Funliner all show with just a plain yoke and frame. This covers 1957 to about 2000.No dolphins or mermaids !!!

Mary: As you requested, I dug into the archives and came up with some images that might be helpful to you. It's great that you have volunteered to write up a history of the bell for Capt. Alan Bernstein to distribute to passengers on the BELLE OF CINCINNATI. All those years the bell was on the excursion barge CHAPERON I doubt that many knew about its provenance! Hope these vintage views are useful to you and please feel free to convey them on to Capt. Alan with my compliments. Keep up steam!

(1) Roof of Str. GREY EAGLE - note bell at right
(2) Str. GREY EAGLE at St. Louis levee with Str. ALTON alongside. Note bell and whistle - both of which went to CAPE GIRARDEAU/GORDON C. GREENE.
(3) Roof of Str. CAPE GIRARDEAU - photo by Miss Ruth Ferris - 1930's.

MORE of the GREY EAGLE bell (and whistle too!)

(1) Str. GORDON C. GREENE - bell and whistle (both from Str. GREY EAGLE)
(2) Str. GORDON C. GREENE - 1945
(3) Str. CAPE GIRARDEAU in lock.

And a couple more of the GORDON C. GREENE bell...

(1) Landing at Baton Rouge - 1946
(2) Underway - 1946

Church bell

This is the Buckeye bell that was put in the Cumberland Presbyterian church in Jefferson, Texas, in 1872. no doubt delivered by steamboat. The yoke is pretty elaborate and I hope the detail shows some of the relief on the top of the bell. And this is a bell few have ever seen. One used to have to climb a very rickety ladder about 30 feet up but there is now a much safer access. It is still rung every Sunday. Please pardon the pidgeon poop.