Springfield Church Tubular Chimes Restoration
Springfield Church Tubular Chimes Restoration
Synopsis
- Rescue and relocation of a 1924 Deagan chime set from a closing Springfield, Ohio church
- 10-note set expanded to 16 notes using tubes from a second historic Indiana set
- Museum-quality restoration of all striker mechanisms
- Installation at First United Methodist Church in London, Ohio
- Noted by the World Carillon Federation as the only Deagan relocation and reinstallation in the US in 25 years
Project Overview
When Central United Methodist Church in Springfield, Ohio, closed in 2021, it left behind a remarkable piece of musical history: a 10-note Deagan tower chime set, manufactured in Chicago in 1924 and installed in the church's tower nearly a century earlier. With the building sold and its contents dispersed, the chimes faced an uncertain fate.
Tim Wilson, a member of First United Methodist Church in London, Ohio, recognized what was at stake. After months of persistence, he finally secured permission to remove the chimes. With only two weeks before the building transferred to its new owners, Tim rallied a team of volunteers who spent two weekends dismantling the massive bronze tubes, hoisting them down through a small access hole, and down a series of narrow staircases. The heaviest tube weighed over 750 pounds.
The chimes were stored in a barn, then a church garage, while Tim worked to secure funding for the restoration and installation–a considerable undertaking with no budget in sight.
The Donor
In the fall of 2023, Buddy Byers, a longtime church member, asked Tim what the church needed. Tim shared several possibilities, including the chime project. Shortly before Thanksgiving, Buddy committed to funding the full restoration and installation, saying he thought his late wife Diane, who had passed away in September 2022, would have enjoyed hearing them.
Buddy passed away on December 6, 2023, just weeks after making that commitment. His children honored his wish and moved the project forward. Their gift covered not only the restoration and installation of the chimes, but also a structural engineering consultation and necessary tower reinforcement.
Expanding the Set
Through Chime Master, six additional tubes were sourced from a second historic Deagan set, originally installed in 1926 at St. Mark's United Church of Christ in New Albany, Indiana, and removed from service in 1996. Adding these six tubes brought the instrument from 10 notes to 16 (13 semitones of a complete scale, plus three higher tones), dramatically expanding the range of melodies the chimes could play.
Project Execution
Chime Master picked up the ten original striker mechanisms in spring 2024 for full, museum-quality restoration. Installation began on October 15, 2025, with a crane used to hoist the rack components, chimes, and strikers through the tower's Fourth Street louvered opening. The project was completed on October 30, 2025.
The chimes are operated by Chime Master's Libertas AX bell controller, which manages hourly tolling and melody programming automatically. The system also integrates with the church's Johnson & Son/Muller pipe organ console for manual play. The original small keyboard that once activated the chimes at Central UMC is preserved and displayed at the church.
Results
The restored chimes now ring daily at First United Methodist Church in London, Ohio. Carl Zimmerman, treasurer of the World Carillon Federation, contacted Tim after photos appeared on social media to note that, to his knowledge, this is the only Deagan set to be saved, relocated, and reinstalled anywhere in the United States in the last 25 years.
The project demonstrates Chime Master's ability to manage complex, multi-year restoration projects–from sourcing historic tubes to structural coordination, crane logistics, and modern automation integration–while preserving instruments that would otherwise be lost forever.
Contact Us Today!
Contact Chime Master today or call 800-344-7464 to discuss your bronze bell needs, including new installation, restoration, or customization. We also maintain an inventory of used bronze bell available for purchase.
Contact Us