Deese Clock Tower facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Deese Clock Tower |
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The Deese Clock Tower named for Benefactors and Alumni Willie A. & Carrol C Deese.
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| General information | |
| Type | Campanile |
| Location | North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University |
| Town or city | Greensboro, North Carolina |
| Country | United States |
| Coordinates | 36°04′31″N 79°46′20″W / 36.075258°N 79.772205°W |
The Willie A. & Carrol C. Deese Tower, usually called Deese Tower, is a tall, free-standing bell tower. It stands on the campus of North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University (North Carolina A&T) in Greensboro, North Carolina. This impressive tower is about 88 feet (27 meters) tall. It was a special gift to the university from two of its former students, Willie A. Deese and Carrol Chalmers Deese.
How the Tower Was Built
The Deese Tower project received $1.3 million in funding. This generous gift came from Willie A. Deese and his wife, Carrol Chalmers Deese. They are both alumni of North Carolina A&T and have supported the university for a long time.
Willie A. Deese graduated from North Carolina A&T in 1977. He had a very successful career. He was a retired executive vice president and president at Merck & Co.. There, he managed over 55 manufacturing and distribution sites around the world. Mr. Deese also served as the Chairman of A&T's Board of Trustees. He also helped lead the university's fundraising campaign in 2005.
The tower was officially opened on March 24, 2017. This special ribbon-cutting ceremony was part of the university's 125th anniversary celebration. Many important people attended the event. These included Mr. and Mrs. Deese, Chancellor Harold L. Martin, and University of North Carolina President Margaret Spellings.
Design and Special Features
The Deese Tower covers an area of about 144 square feet (13 square meters). It was designed by Vines Architecture, a company based in nearby Raleigh, North Carolina. The tower combines old and new styles. It uses traditional brick masonry, which means it's built with bricks and mortar. It also has modern touches like translucent glass. This glass lets light through but you can't see clearly through it.
WC Construction built the tower. They used strong concrete for the base. The main structure is made of steel. The outside is covered with glazed brick and special metal panels.
The tower also has a cool sound system. It uses electronics to create the sound of a carillon. A carillon is a set of bells that play melodies. The tower also has an amazing LED lighting system. This system can light up the glass parts of the tower. It can shine in blue, gold, or white. These are the official colors of North Carolina A&T State University.
