Just in time for the 50th anniversary of the bell tower that rises over the city of Jefferson, state officials have approved over $80,000 to help community members meet a decades-long goal of hearing the tower bells chime.
Of the 14 bells installed at the top of the Mahanay Memorial Carillon Tower, only a few work.
The tower already attracts visitors who can view the vast, rolling farmland that extends over five counties from the top. But local leaders have been fundraising for a $440,000 project to add a four-octave, 47-bell carillon to the tower.
The city, county, a local casino and private donors have contributed. But last week, Vision Iowa, a state-funded program, awarded the group an $87,100 grant to meet the fundraising goal.