~courtesy of The Scranton Journal
State treasurer Michael Fitzgerald toured the Mahanay Memorial Carillon Tower in Jefferson recently. The tower, originally dedicated in 1966, was awarded Vision Iowa’s Community Attraction and Tourism grant this summer.
The grant will allow for the tower’s expansion into a full four-octave, 47-bell carillon.
“As a member of the Vision Iowa board, it was a pleasure to see one of the many projects our grants help to fund,” Fitzgerald said. “The 14-story tower offers beautiful views of Greene County and speaks to the heart of what the Vision Iowa program aims to provide.”
Fitzgerald was joined by Pat Richards, the tower’s tour guide and volunteer coordinator, as she discussed the bells and pointed out important landmarks across Jefferson. The tower provides views of the Thomas Jefferson Memorial Gardens and a statue honoring Jeffersonian Doreen Wilber, the 1972 Olympic gold medal winner in archery, among others.
Vision Iowa awarded the expansion project a grant of $87,102 this summer, with work being completed this fall. The project will cost almost $441,000 in total.
“My time on the Vision Iowa board has offered me the opportunity to visit with many towns across the state,” Fitzgerald said. “It is an honor to see hardworking Iowa communities preserve their histories and invest in lasting community attractions and monuments.”
