Money brings new life for courthouse bell in Traverse City

TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. (AP) - A 114-year-old bell in the old Grand Traverse County courthouse tower could ring again.

A group is raising money to fix the bell and restore the four clock faces in Traverse City. It has raised nearly $10,000 so far, including $5,000 from one anonymous resident.

The Traverse City Record-Eagle (https://bit.ly/1BiZsEm ) says the courthouse was the hub for county business until the Governmental Center was built in the 1970s. The bell still chimed hourly until about 10 years ago.

Gary Schilkey, a member of the fundraising committee, says the bell “adds to our community” and “you can’t put a price on that.”

A ceremony is planned for May after the bell restoration is completed.

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Information from: Traverse City Record-Eagle, https://www.record-eagle.com