It was a crisp winter day on January 19, 1894. It was the dedication of Heavilon Hall, the newly built home of Purdue engineering. The Heavilon Hall tower stood tall and proud, a symbol of academic excellence for all to see.
Until tragedy struck four days later. Students, faculty, and administrators watched helplessly as flames devoured their new campus landmark. It was a day never to be forgotten.
Purdue President James A. Smart brought the campus together. He rallied their spirits by emphatically declaring the tower would go up "one brick higher."
And it did -- by nine bricks, in fact. The new tower, completed in December 1895, contained the same powerful presence as the original, but it held a few special features of its own: A clock and four bells. The chimes marked the quarter-hour and the four-faced clock served as a campus landmark for 60 years.
Heavilon Hall, 1947Alas, by 1956 weather and time had taken their toll. Heavilon Hall was demolished and another was built bearing the same name. The tower clock and bells, not part of the new building's design, were placed in storage and heard no more.
Until today. Through a gift from the Class of 1948, the clock again ticks and the bells chime. In the fall of 1995, work was completed on the new Purdue Bell Tower. Standing at 160 feet, the brick-clad, steel tower is a modern interpretation of the original Heavilon Hall tower. The restored clockworks are displayed at the base. The four original bells hang at the top of the tower, gently pealing the past into the present.
The dedication of the Purdue Bell Tower took place on Saturday, October 14, 1995 with members of the Class of 1948 present. The Purdue Bell Tower will stand as a monument of heritage and innovation for generations to come.