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October Hours at Tower

Fusebox Marketing on October 2, 2020

During the month of October, the Mahanay Bell Tower will be open every Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. The bells continue to chime each quarter hour and play several songs after each hour. The observation deck is reached by elevator. Covid -19 precautions have been implemented for the safety of our visitors and staff. Masks are required to enter the Tower and limited numbers in the observation deck at a time. The staff is delighted to explain more about the Tower right outside the entrance door on the Bell Tower Plaza.

Autumn is a beautiful time of year to visit the Mahanay Bell Tower. The colors in the downtown and surrounding rural area are breathtaking! Visitors of all ages enjoy viewing the peaceful landscape while listening to the four octave carillon throughout the day.

Tours are also available by appointment by calling the Jefferson Matters: Main Street & Chamber at 515-386-2155.

Youth 18 & under are free courtesy of the Greene County School Foundation! Adults are $3.

Tower Tunes Live Concert cancelled

Peg Raney on August 17, 2020

We are sorry that this concert needs to be cancelled as work on the broken windows from the derecho will be done on Wednesday so the Tower will be closed.  Thank you for understanding.

Bell Tower Coloring Pages

Fusebox Marketing on June 6, 2020

Now that the mini bell towers are in place for 2020, do you have some ideas for how to decorate the Mahanay Bell Tower? Here are a few coloring pages that can be printed. Color your own bell tower and share with us on our Facebook page – Mahanay Bell Tower with the #IHeartBigBellsJeffersonIowa. The world wants to see your ideas!

Thanks to Kevin Richards for his drawings for this project!

BellTowerColoringPage2Download

Tower Tunes Live- Community Easter Sing-Along

Fusebox Marketing on April 3, 2020

The Bell Tower Community Foundation has scheduled a special Tower Tunes Live-Community Easter Sing-Along event for Easter Sunday.  Becky Greiner will play Easter hymns on Easter Sunday, April 12 at  12:15 pm on the Mahanay Carillon in downtown Jefferson.  This event is not just a concert, but a community sing-along in the local homes.  The hymns are a selection of familiar and beloved songs for all denominations. Step outside on your porch or driveway, or park your car and join in singing.   Foundation members encourage the public to participate through the social distancing guidelines.  

Because of Easter Sunday services cancelled in local churches, the Mahanay Bell Tower offers a unifying musical opportunity to worship together on Easter Sunday.  The bells continue to play each hour digitally with the Westminster Chimes at each quarter hour and several selections after each hour.    

The list of hymns that will be played are listed below and the public is encouraged to access the lyrics by googling each or find them in your own hymnals.   A couple of verses of each hymn will be played. 

Please join the community at the Tower Tunes Live – Community Easter Sing-Along on Easter Sunday.

Selections will include:

Christ, the Lord, is Risen Today

Just As I Am

How Great Thou Art

Amazing Grace

Rock of Ages

I Know that My Redeemer Lives

My Faith Looks Up to Thee

Blessed Assurance

Beautiful Savior

Certified Tour Guides

Fusebox Marketing on May 22, 2019

Two of our Bell Tower staff have become certified tour guides.   Joyce Kurth, newest member of the Tower staff, and Pat Richards, Tower staff coordinator, attended a day-long session on tour guide training put on by Iowa State Extension in early April.   They  worked through the guide book they were given to fine-tune their tour-giving skills. In early May,  each gave a sample tour to Diane Van Wyngarden, ISU Extension Specialist in Tour Guide Training and Certification at the Mahanay Bell Tower.  Diane commented that she thoroughly enjoyed the tours, learned more about what we have to offer tourists in Greene County, and thought we were far and above many other towns in Iowa!  And….Joyce and Pat are now officially certified and working on a list of tips for our staff. Congratulations to both of the ambassadors to the community!

 

Mahanay Tower Staff

Fusebox Marketing on May 13, 2019

We are so pleased to introduce our Mahanay Bell Tower staff for 2019 with many returning for multiple years. These ambassadors for the community are often the first people visitors meet and feel so welcomed.

Mahanay Bell Tower opens this weekend.

Fusebox Marketing on April 29, 2019

The Mahanay Memorial Carillon Tower will open officially for the 2019 season on Saturday, May 4th.  Hours will be 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. each weekend in May and then daily beginning Memorial Day weekend.  With the increased visitors during the month of September, the Bell Tower Foundation Board decided to remain open daily for the month of September and weekends in October.  The Tower is also available by appointment by calling the Greene County Chamber & Tourism office at 515-386-2155.  Pat Richards continues as the Tower Staff coordinator with an experienced group of staff returning for the 2019 season.

The Mahanay Memorial Carillon expanded to 47 bells on Memorial Day weekend in 2017.  The Mahanay Music committee has a list of musicians with at least 2 years of piano experience to volunteer to play the bells for the daily Tower Tunes Live concerts from 12:15 – 12:30 p.m.  These concerts will begin on Memorial Day weekend and continue through Labor Day weekend.  Musicians can choose their own music.  The bells are played on a digital keyboard connected to the bells.  The musicians who played last year enjoyed the experience of playing such a large instrument.  Becky Greiner, Peg Raney and Pat Richards are collecting names and contact information for anyone wanting to be added to the list.  Musicians can also email mahanaybelltower@gmail.com  An electronic calendar will be sent out for musicians to choose when they would like to play.   

2019 Season Passes will again be available at the Mahanay Tower for $15.  This allows the individual to visit the Tower for the entire year. 

The website www.mahanaybelltower.org and Facebook page are also kept up-to-date with information and pictures about the Mahanay Bell Tower.  The Bell Tower Community Foundation  encourages people to check these out and share with visitors.