The brass bell that for more than 100 years rang out from the dome atop the Limestone County Courthouse has found a new home on the northwest corner of The Square in Athens.

Found tucked away in the attic of the courthouse during recent renovations, the regal bell caught Kelly Howard’s eye. Howard, the project manager for Martin and Cobey Construction, the company responsible for the restoration of the courthouse, was intrigued by the old bell. Convinced it had a story to tell, Howard shared the news about the unusual find with Circuit Judge Jimmy Woodroof Jr., who was then the presiding judge in Limestone County.

Known for his devotion to preserving Athens’ history, Woodroof, who also had a hand in raising the monument to Circuit Judge James Horton in 2017, said he believed the 600-pound bell was too significant to be kept hidden away.

“The tragedy was that something this historic was just stuck inside, and Kelly of Martin and Cobey realized we needed to get this thing down,” Woodruff said, explaining that once they got the bell out of storage they started brainstorming how best to display it.

Forged in New York and stamped with the year 1871, the bell first hung in the courthouse building that was completed in the midst of the Reconstruction era. It was later rehung in the current courthouse dome. Although the bell has been silent for nearly four decades, it used to sound every hour on the hour to mark time for Limestone Countians. It was also used to alert them of important news and events.

“It is so important that we can pay homage to something that was put up just five years after the Civil War and was utilized as the centering ritual for our community,” Woodroof said. “I think in some ways it was a symbol of pride after the devastation of the war.”

“History is a beautiful thing, whether we agree with it or not, whether it was honorable or not,” Woodroof said. “At the least, it has an enduring quality that should be preserved.”

Once the dust had settled from restoring the courthouse, which took much longer than anyone expected, preservation team members set their sights on an empty corner on the northwest side of The Square, where they envisioned hanging the bell for all to see.

In fall 2016, the two turned to Limestone County Commission Chairman Mark Yarbrough for help funding the project, which also included contributions from the Limestone County Historical Society, Athens-Limestone County Tourism and the Frederick Martin family.

Now nearly complete, the bell hangs from the original red oak beams that once held it in place in both courthouse domes. A concrete walking path surrounds the bell and a brass-covered roof, designed to complement the courthouse dome, shields the bell from the elements. Two historical pillars will soon be raised on the periphery of the bell’s platform. The existing historical marker detailing the county’s early history, which stands near the corner of Market and Jefferson streets, will be moved closer to the bell.

Eventually, a pair of benches named after two soon-to-be-announced recipients will rest on either end of the bell’s platform.

Woodroof said he isn’t sure when the project will be complete, describing it as a “work in progress.”

However, he is confident the salvaged bell will serve as an enduring testament to Athens’ rich and storied history for generations to come.