Courthouse bell

In 1892, the “old” Clarke County Courthouse was built — the tower clock and bell were to be installed later.

In 1900, the board of supervisors had planned to use the 500 pound city bell on the new tower clock. The Ladies Improvement Association who donated to the clock fund made a stir.

Objections led the board of supervisors to finally acquiesce in putting in a 1200-plus pound bell. The clock and bell remained there until the courthouse was razed in 1955.

Since there was no provision for a clock in the new courthouse, the works, bell and hands of the clock were to be stored in a safe place by the board of supervisors with the hope that sometime in the future, some organization or group would devise some plan to erect a clock tower in the courthouse park.

The bell, a huge bronze casting weighing 1,270 pounds, 3 feet in diameter and 4 feet high from rim to top, was stored for 20-plus years in a county shed northwest of Osceola.

The bell was stored until 1982 when Clarke County Historical Society, Clarke County Development Corporation and Osceola business community made plans to build a new bell tower to accommodate the old bell. The bell was an important feature of community life.

Bob Toland, manager of Iowa Southern Utilities, originated the plan and was instrumental in initiating it, being one of the key personnel in promoting the bell being placed in a key position in the courtyard. His emphasis was beautification of the area. Funding was raised by citizens and business donations.

Local businessman Burt Paul had observed a bell tower in a Des Moines church and suggested it might be a model for the local site. Bill Adamson, Gerald Adamson and Bob Evans donated their time and skills, and provided the manpower to build and erect the tower.

The tower was erected from redwood beams. The bell was installed in the 35-foot high tower in the southeast corner of the courtyard.

Clarke County Board of Supervisors accepted the bell tower as county property. Area citizens converged on the square to take their turn in ringing the old courthouse bell.

Contributing time to the bell tower project were members of Today’s Osceola Dynamic Action Committee (TODA), committee and Clarke County Historical members — namely Bob Toland, Stack Samuelson, Fern Underwood, Don Butterfield, Clayton Scott, Burt Paul, James Vawn, Fred DeHaan, Beryl Kendall, John Klein, Jack Williams, Gary Kimes and Bruce Harris.

A bronze/copper plaque was engraved and explained the history of how the bell was made. The 20-pound plaque was mounted at the base of the bell tower when it was dedicated in 1983 and remained there for approximately 10 years before it was stolen.

The plaque was found and retrieved from an abandoned house and returned to the courthouse. With the assistance of TODA committee members, it was installed on the bell tower, only this time 10 feet up on the tower proper. The TODA committee also constructed the shelter house and picnic table in the courtyard.