by Sheila Gaquin

Sounder contributor

Rusted and corroded by more than a century of exposure to Northwest weather, the old iron bell hanging in the tower above the Deer Harbor Community Club was becoming a safety hazard. Bell aficionado Howard Barbour, who had patched up the bell supports a few times over the last 20 years, reluctantly decided the old bell needed to come down.

On Oct. 26, with a crew of Deer Harbor Community Club volunteers and help from an OPALCO crew, the 200-pound bell and its supports were safely lowered to the ground.   Currently the bell tower on the old Deer Harbor schoolhouse is empty, but Barbour says after some work to make the bell tower more weather resistant, a newer, smaller bell, found on Craig’s List, will be installed.

The Deer Harbor Community club would like to hear from anyone with information on the old bell. Where was it founded? When was it installed?