Denny Chimes facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Denny Chimes
Denny Chimes on The Quad, following cleaning and restoration
General information
Type	Campanile
Architectural style	Art Deco
Location	Tuscaloosa, Alabama, United States
Coordinates	33°12′35″N 87°32′48″W / 33.20972°N 87.54667°W / 33.20972; -87.54667
Completed	1929
Owner	University of Alabama
Height	115 feet (35 m)

Denny Chimes is a tall bell tower at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa. It stands 115 feet (about 35 meters) high on the campus's main green area, called The Quad. This famous tower is named after George H. Denny, who was the university's president for many years. It has 25 bells that play music! The tower is one of the most easily seen buildings on the campus.

History of Denny Chimes

The idea for a bell tower at the University of Alabama first came up in 1919. People wanted it to be a special memorial for soldiers who fought in World War I. But there wasn't enough money to build it back then, so the plan didn't happen.

Later, in the late 1920s, students at the university worked hard to raise money. They wanted to build the tower to honor President George Denny. There was a rumor that he might leave the university, and students wanted him to stay.

The tower was built by a company called Skinner, Maxwell and Company. It cost about $40,000, which was a lot of money at the time! The Denny Chimes tower was officially opened on May 27, 1929. The governor of Alabama, Bibb Graves, was there for the special event.

Design and Look

The Denny Chimes tower has an Art Deco design, which was a popular style in the 1920s. The bottom part of the tower is made of white limestone and is square-shaped. It has special flat columns called pilasters on each corner.

Above the base, there are four stone eagles with their wings partly open. They sit at the corners where the white stone meets the red brick. The main part of the tower is made of red bricks from Virginia, which was President Denny's home state. This brick section gets narrower as it goes up.

At the very top, there's a limestone crown with a bell room, called a belfry. This part has square pillars and open designs. The tower is topped off with a stepped, pyramid-shaped roof, also made of limestone.

The Carillon Bells

The tower holds a carillon, which is a musical instrument with 25 cast bronze bells. The biggest bell is about 11 feet (3.4 meters) around and 3 feet (0.9 meters) tall.

The bells play the Westminster chimes every 15 minutes. They also chime on the hour and can play other songs or the university's alma mater for special events and holidays. Inside the tower's base, there's an automatic player that uses roll music. There's also a keyboard that people can play for special occasions.

In 1945, the bell system was changed to an electronic one. It was updated again in 1966. For many years, a professor named Warren Hutton was the main carillonneur (the person who plays the carillon). Today, both university teachers and students play the bells.

Walk of Fame

Around the base of Denny Chimes, there's a special area called the Walk of Fame. Since 1948, the captains of the Alabama Crimson Tide football team have placed their hand and footprints in cement slabs here.

This ceremony happens every year during the A-Day festivities. It's a way to honor the team captains from the previous football season. It's a popular tradition for fans and players alike.

Some of the famous names on the Walk of Fame include: