Sloss Furnaces Marks Alabama’s Bicentennial with the Children’s Bell
Industrialization is a major part of Alabama’s history and perhaps the most visible reminder of that in Birmingham is Sloss Furnaces. The historic site is marking state’s bicentennial this month with an object in line with that past of iron and steel: the Alabama Bicentennial Children’s Bell.
Metal workers are putting the final touches on it, and next week they will install the bell and a bell tower in the pond near the entrance to the visitors center. Sloss Furnaces’ metal arts director Marshall Christie says it took a lot a research to make sure they got the acoustics right. They created a mold and about two weeks ago, they fired up the furnace.
“[It] is always impressive,” Christie says. “There’s an 8-foot flame coming out of the top of it. Sparks shooting out of every orifice it has. And a whole crew scurrying around working the furnace and manning it.”
He says the process of pouring the metal takes about two minutes. After that, it’s 24 hours nervously waiting to see if it worked. In this case, it did. The bell, made of iron from Alabama, is about two feet in diameter and 375 pounds. Christie says they also measured the bell with a guitar tuner and “a very solid E is our note.”
Part of a bicentennial is about the past, but this bell is about the future and the children who will inhabit it. That message rings out just looking at it. Across the bottom of the bell it reads “Leave it Better.”
The bell is a project of the state’s bicentennial commission and Children’s of Alabama. Both are program sponsors on WBHM. However, our news and business departments operate independently.
Millions face wintry weather for what could be a record-setting holiday travel season
More than 119 million people are expected to travel for Christmas and Hanukkah, which both fall on the same day this year, through the New Year, according to AAA.
Review by Senate Democrats finds more unreported luxury trips by Clarence Thomas
A report by Democrats on the Judiciary Committee found additional travel taken in 2021 by Thomas but not reported on his annual financial disclosure, including trips on private jets and a yacht trip.
Where did Barry Jenkins feel safe as a kid? Atop a tree
Director Barry Jenkins is best known for films like "Moonlight" and "If Beale Street Could Talk." On Wild Card, he opens up about where he felt the safest as a kid.
Israeli strikes across Gaza kill at least 20, including five children
Israeli strikes across the Gaza Strip overnight and into Sunday killed at least 20 people, including five children, Palestinian medical officials said.
I discovered one way to fight loneliness: The Germans call it a Stammtisch
Modern life can be lonely. Some are looking to an old German tradition – of drinking and conversation – to deepen connection through regular meetups.
This Christmas I’ll be grieving. Here’s how I’ll be finding joy.
Since her husband's death, newscaster Windsor Johnston has been looking for ways to recapture joy and continue her healing journey — one that's taken her to a place she'd never expected.
