Bells in History

Program set for Sept. 10 at Saugus Historical Society

By Laura Eisener

On Wednesday, September 10, the Saugus Historical Society will present a program on bells in history, from the earliest bells through the famous bells that played a role in the American Revolution 250 years ago to the bells we may find around Saugus today.

Variations of bells have been produced around the world, and many of them have played significant roles in community life. In the days before people wore watches or carried cell phones to remind them of the time, bells in public buildings would ring on the hour or even every quarter hour to keep us all on a similar schedule. They would ring to announce joyous and somber events, and to alert people to emergencies or big news. They would help you locate your wandering cattle and warn you of the approach of a sleigh through the snow.

We still rely on bells or a facsimile of their sound for many occasions. A doorbell announces that a visitor has arrived.

The Liberty Bell in Philadelphia is a tourist attraction with its own museum. Plaques in both Medford, Massachusetts, and Savannah, Georgia, mark significant sites related to a song all of us have heard: “Jingle Bells.” Famous New England poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow wrote a poem called “The Bells of Lynn.”

The meeting will be at 30 Main St., Saugus, with doors opening at 6:45 p.m. and the program starting at 7. It is free to all, and light refreshments will be served. Hope you’ll be there with bells on!