Work is going a little slower at the Mahanay Memorial Carillon Tower today, as larger bells are hoisted to the top, one at a time.
Spectators continue to stop and watch. There was an extra spectators’ gallery this morning. Jefferson Matters: Main Street held its weekly Java and Juice on the bell tower plaza. Many of the two dozen or so people watched, cell phones held high to catch video.
Dr Bob Thompson of Urbandale, Jefferson High School class of 1964, was one of the spectators. He worked at Schoppe’s Café on the square during high school, and he recalled the heated discussions about Floyd Mahanay’s gift of a bell tower prior to its construction. “No one imagined then the impact this would have on the community,” he said.
He came to Jefferson to decorate his parents’ graves for Memorial Day and was happy to watch two bells being raised to the top of the tower.
He has seen the first two roof top art installations and said he had hoped to see the third this weekend. “That roof top art will be a huge draw to the community and to the tower, and the more that’s added, the bigger draw it will be,” Thompson said. He suggested that the Horn of Plenty would be a great subject for roof top art.
