The story of the bell...

The iconic bell in front of Louisville Elementary School has become a hallmark of many first and last day of school photos, but did you know the history of the bell dates back over 140 years?

The Louisville History Museum strongly believes the bell dates back to 1881, which is the year that the Louisville Grade School at Spruce and Jefferson opened. This is now the site of Memory Square Park. The bell can be seen in the school's bell tower in historic photos that are from before 1903, which is the year that the school was remodeled and enlarged. This makes the bell one of the oldest artifacts from Louisville's history, as Louisville was founded in 1878 and incorporated in 1882. The bell was manufactured by Goulds Mfg. Co. of Seneca Falls, NY. It is 33 inches in diameter and weighs approximately 700 pounds. When Louisville Elementary School opened its doors in 1964, the bell was relocated to the front of the building. Now the community can enjoy this piece of Louisville history each time they visit Louisville Elementary School!

Read more about the history of the Louisville Grade School, the famous bell, and the construction of Louisville Elementary School by reading the Fall 2021 edition of the Louisville Historian. 

Louisville Historian Fall 2021