Marv Bronner has spent several hours over the years cleaning out debris and making structural repairs inside the bell tower.  Last summer, he was surprised to find the original shipping tags still in tact that accompanied the bell over 100 years ago.  It's amazing that these two paper tags survived the elements inside this tower that has always been exposed to the elements.  The bell was made in 1896 and came from the Meneely Bell Company of Troy, New York .  It weighs just under 3,000 pounds including the mountings, clapper, tolling hammer, and swinging bell wheel.  The bell was transported by boat all the way from New York around the southeastern United States and up the Mississippi River to be received in Red Wing.  This magnificent bell resides in the St. Rose cemetery and photos of the shipping tags are found in the photo gallery when you 'Read more'...

The shipping tags read:

"From MENEELY BELL COMPANY, TROY, N.Y.

Church, Academy, Factory, Chime, The Steamboat and other Bells."

Other discoveries include a handwritten message that crosses over two boards found inside the bell tower. You can see that 'Spring Creek, Minn.' is still legible along with a name that crosses the two boards that Marv found.  This hand written last name or word suggests that this was originally one board that was cut in half.  Spring Creek was a town located a few miles due north of St. Rose on Cty 1 which no longer exits.  It's interesting to note the scrolled hand writing used in the 1800's.  See if you can decipher the name/word written in pencil across the two boards which still remains a mystery to this day from the photos in our photo gallery.

Visit our Photo Gallery for more pictures from the bell tower.