Mueller Tower

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Mueller Tower
Ralph Mueller Carillon Tower & Love Library, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska, USA.jpg
The Mueller Tower in 2015
General information
Town or cityLincoln, Nebraska
CountryUnited States
Coordinates40°49′12.5″N 96°42′09.3″W / 40.820139°N 96.702583°W / 40.820139; -96.702583Coordinates: 40°49′12.5″N 96°42′09.3″W / 40.820139°N 96.702583°W / 40.820139; -96.702583
Completed1949
OwnerUniversity of Nebraska–Lincoln
Height84 feet
Design and construction
ArchitectGeorge Kuska Jr.

The Mueller Tower is a historic 84-foot (26 m) bell tower on the campus of the University of Nebraska–Lincoln in Lincoln, Nebraska.[1] It was built in 1949, and it is named for alumnus Ralph S. Mueller.[1]

History[]

The 84-foot (26 m) tower was built with limestone from Indiana thanks to a $90,000 donation (equivalent to $979,000 in 2020) from alumnus Ralph S. Mueller, the founder and president of the Cleveland, Ohio-based Mueller Electric Company.[1][2] It was designed by George Kuska Jr. when he was still a student at the university,[1] and he later became a professional architect in central California.[3] The construction of the tower was completed in 1949.[4][5]

Its dedication was attended by 2,000 individuals on November 4, 1949.[6] They included Chancellor R. G. Gustavson and President Harold S. Wilson as well as Professor Lynus Burr Smith, who was the head of the department of Architecture, and , "one of the world's greatest carillonneurs."[1] Other attendees included Deane Waldo Malott, then the president of the University of Kansas, George Kuska Jr., the architect, as well as Mr Mueller and members of his family.[6]

The bell tower was cordoned off in 2006 as the limestone began collapsing, and the university lacked funding to restore it.[7] By then, it had become "one of the most recognizable structures on campus," and university officials vowed to restore it shortly.[7]

The tower does not include a traditional array of bells.[8] Instead the tower has eight speakers which broadcast recordings or live music played.[5] Mueller, whose career was in electronics, liked the electronic broadcast system idea.[5] The music was initially played on a keyboard, but it was later replaced by tape recordings.[9] As late as 1985, a student played the keyboard prior to football games in the octagonal room inside the tower.[8] For the pre-recorded music, an Embassy Digital Autobell Carillon machine is now used.[5] The tower has also been used to commemorate special occasions, like the 16th anniversary of the AIDS epidemic on December 4, 1996, three days after World AIDS Day.[10] As of 2015, the system was broadcasting music selected randomly, at the hour and at 23 minutes past the hour.[5]

References[]

  1. ^ a b c d e "Tradition-Inspiring Symbol Becomes New Landmark on N. U. Campus". The Lincoln Star. October 30, 1949. p. 35. Retrieved May 22, 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. ^ "Ralph Mueller: Donor". UNL Historic Buildings. Retrieved May 22, 2019.
  3. ^ "George Kuska". The Californian. Salinas, California. March 27, 2003. p. 16 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ "Mueller Tower". UNL Historic Buildings. Retrieved May 22, 2019.
  5. ^ a b c d e Bell, Madison (April 9, 2015). "Behind the Scenes: Mueller Tower". Nebraska Today. University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Retrieved May 22, 2019.
  6. ^ a b "2,000 See N. U.'s Mueller Tower Dedicated". The Lincoln Star. November 5, 1949. p. 2. Retrieved May 26, 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ a b Lee, Melissa (June 6, 2006). "Repairs needed, but bell is not tolling any time soon for tower". Lincoln Journal Star. pp. 1B, 3B. Retrieved May 26, 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ a b Boellstorff, Leslie (October 6, 1985). "Corkill puts life into Mueller carillon tower's music". The Lincoln Star. p. 23. Retrieved May 27, 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ Roth, Mary Kay (September 15, 1996). "For Whom Do They Toll? Towering chimes and bells have the whole city ringing". Lincoln Journal Star. pp. 1J, 3J. Retrieved May 27, 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ "Bells to toll for AIDS". Lincoln Journal Star. December 3, 1996. p. 1. Retrieved May 27, 2019 – via Newspapers.com.

External links[]

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