University Green Area Heritage Study

Historic Burlington Research Project - HP 206

Historic Preservation Program - University of Vermont

Old Mill Bell

Old Mill Bell looking northeast. Image: Rachel J. Peterson

The Old Mill Bell was cast in 1830 by G. H. Holbrook of Medway, Mass.(1)  The bell currently resides on the plaza to the south of the Old Mill and in front of the Royall Tyler Theater.  It sits directly below the University of Vermont Sundial.  Originally the bell was housed in the bell tower atop the Old Mill and would chime to signal the release of classes.(2)  However, when the building was renovated in the early 1880s , the bell tower was dismantled in favor of a belvedere.(3)  At that time, the bell was removed and place in the Memorial Lounge in Waterman.(4)  The bell was moved to a location in a maple grove south of the plaza in front of Royal Tyler Theater in the 1970s due to efforts of the students of the Visual Environment Class, with help from the Art on Campus Committee.  This move was dedicated to Winston M Eddy, UVM ’43, M.D. ’45.(5)

The Old Mill Bell was moved to its current location next to Old Mill and its wooden stand was replaced when the Royal Tyler Theater plaza was rebuilt in 2008.

Plaque on the stand holding the Old Mill Bell. Image by Rachel J.Peterson.

Text by Rachel J. Peterson