News and Noteworthy
January 16, 2012
When Madison Avenue looked for a business location to shoot a business banking ad, they chose The Verdin Company. If you're looking for a timeless clock or carillon of bells, call Verdin. They have been succeeding for 170 years--making the best clocks and bell instruments in America. If you're looking for a successful business bank, enjoy the commercial!
Design » a Verdin post clock
January 12, 2012
Celebrating 170 Years!
The Verdin Company is celebrating its 170th year in business in 2012 — a milestone few companies ever reach.
When two French immigrant brothers, Francois de Sales and Michel Verdin came to the Cincinnati area from Alsace, France in 1837, they were determined to use their iron forging skills to build clocks in America.
The two brothers immediately established a tower clock business in the Over-the-Rhine neighborhood in Cincinnati, where their first documented installation was a clock at Old St. Mary's Church in 1842.
Six generations of Verdin’s and 170 years later, The Verdin Company has grown from that modest beginning to become the industry leader in bells, bell equipment restoration, carillons, and clocks.
One of the nation’s oldest family-owned manufacturers, Verdin is known for innovation — from the electric winder of clocks in 1910 to the first electric bell ringer in 1927, to the largest swinging cast bell in America to the only traveling bell foundry in the world. With a national sales force, a dedicated team of service professionals, and international recognition for craftsmanship, Verdin has over 50,000 installations in churches, universities, municipalities and businesses across the country.
“This is a very exciting year for The Verdin Company as we reflect on our extensive history, product innovations, and remember the pioneers who came before us and laid the foundation for our company,” said Jim Verdin, president, The Verdin Company.
“There have been challenges in our history, we met them. When markets changed, we changed with them. When creative, innovative solutions were required, we developed them. When clock and bell businesses closed, we have remained strong to continue to service our customers. We are looking forward to another 170 years of delivering the best products and services to our customers.”
Learn more » about Verdin’s company history
Contact us » for bells, clocks, and towers
December 6, 2011
The Bells of Christmas
Enjoy the sounds of the season this Christmas and throughout the New Year!
December 2, 2011
Dublin, GA, kicks off Bicentennial Celebration and Helps Cast Bell
The city of Dublin, GA, turns 200 on December 8, 2012, and will have celebrations throughout year to mark the big day.
The entire community is kicking off the Bicentennial year by casting a new bronze bell. High schoolers took part in an “ingot brigade,” loading 500 pounds of bronze ingots into the 2200-degree furnace. The bell was poured using Verdin's one-of-a-kind “Bell Foundry on Wheels,” a special on-site casting event. The Verdin mobile foundry is the only one in the world.
Today the community will watch as the bell mold is broken by community leaders, local dignitaries, and guests, using a large sledgehammer to expose the customized bronze bell. The unveiling and dedication of the polished bronze bell will be later today. The Dublin bell casting is Verdin's 106th bell casting using the Bell Foundry On Wheels.
Dublin is also the home of a Verdin 4MST post clock. The post clock is featured in their Bicentennial logo design and a popular gathering place for the community.
November 16, 2011
Park Designated Top 10 Great Public Spaces in America
The American Planning Association announced the designation of Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park as one of 10 Great Public Spaces for 2011 under the organization’s Great Places in America program. APA Great Places exemplify exceptional character and highlight the role planners and planning play in creating communities of lasting value.
The Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park is an outdoor recreation area in the heart of Nashville. The park was created to commemorate the 200th anniversary of Tennessee statehood, and turned a swampy area in the shadow of the state Capitol into a popular park where people enjoy the outdoors, experience Tennessee history, and enjoy festivals and special events throughout the year.
95-Bell Carillon Honors Tennessee's Musical Heritage
At the north end of the park there are 50 columns, each of which has bells inside. There are 95 bells in all, each of them representing the citizens of Tennessee's 95 counties and honoring Tennessee's musical heritage. A 96th bell, known as the answer bell, is located on the grounds of the State Capitol and rings in answer to the 95 bells, symbolizing government answering to the people. The bell carillon is one of the largest in the world and was created by The Verdin Company. The bells play Tennessee-themed songs at the top of the hour.
The American Planning Association is an independent, not-for-profit educational organization that provides leadership in the development of vital communities.
A 360° view » Bicentennial Capitol Mall Carillon
November 15, 2011
Verdin Clocks Stand Test of Time; Featured in Washington Post
Karl and Carrol Kindel bought a Verdin post clock as a gift for their Capitol Hill neighborhood, installing it on Barracks Row. The couple, who have lived on the Hill for 40 years, say the clock reinforces a sense of neighborhood.
“It’s a throwback to when people lived in smaller towns and there was a clock on the High Street,” Karl says.
The couple embrace the nostalgia the clock symbolizes, and say it has carry-over effects.
The nostalgia of a public clock is good for the community. A clock is very much like a building. There’s a constancy to it. Businesses come and go and things change, but this is something that anchors the neighborhood."
— Carrol Kindel, Clock Donor and Barracks Row Resident
"The nostalgia of a public clock is good for the community. A clock is very much like a building. There’s a constancy to it. Businesses come and go and things change, but this is something that anchors the neighborhood,” says Carrol Kindel.
(Source: Washington Post, 11-3-11)
Read more » Joe Heim's story
Post clock » photo gallery
Design » a Verdin post clock
November 11, 2011
A Spectacular Tribute for 11-11-11
This photo captures the spectacular night casting of a bronze Verdin bell for the Veterans Tribute Tower in Williamsburg, VA. The Veterans Tribute Tower bell was cast and dedicated during Veterans community festivities November 9-11 by Verdin’s Bell Foundry On Wheels, the only traveling bell foundry in the world. The Williamsburg bell casting is Verdin's 105th bell casting using the Bell Foundry On Wheels. (Photo courtesy of Kelly Mihalcoe.)
Read » Bell Foundry On Wheels
November 11, 2011
A Tribute to Our Veterans:
New Town Dedicates Veterans Tribute Tower
To honor the service of military veterans, a Veterans Tribute Tower was installed in New Town, VA (near Williamsburg, VA). Built by the Verdin Company of Cincinnati, Ohio, the tower, which is 30 feet tall, was dedicated today at Sullivan Square. The bell and clock tower will serve as a permanent landmark to pay tribute to those who have sacrificed for this country. The Verdin tower is the nation’s fifth Veterans Tribute Tower and the first Veterans Tribute Tower in the state of Virginia.
The Veterans Tribute Tower bell was cast and dedicated during Veterans community festivities November 9-11 by Verdin’s Bell Foundry on Wheels, the only traveling bell foundry in the world. (Photo: Local Patriot Guard Riders participate in the Veterans tribute festivities.)
Read more » Williamsburg Veterans Day 2011
Learn more » Virginia Veterans Tribute Tower
October 31, 2011
Veterans Tribute Tower Leaves for Williamsburg, VA
The Verdin Company is sending-off the nation’s fifth Veterans Tribute Tower to honor the men and women who have served our country in the U.S. Armed Forces.
The Verdin tower is the first Veterans Tribute Tower in the state of Virginia. The Tower, which was built at Verdin’s manufacturing facility by Greater Cincinnati craftsman, will be transported to Williamsburg, VA. Verdin created the Veterans Tribute Towers as a lasting tribute to honor past American veterans, salute present day veterans, and inspire all future veterans.
“The dedication of the Veteran Tribute Tower will establish a permanent landmark for our country’s veterans. It will be a destination point for veterans and visitors to Williamsburg and the Historic Triangle, providing a majestic and moving setting to reflect and pay tribute to those who have sacrificed so much in making this country the great one that we enjoy,” said Harry N. Walters, President, Veterans Coalition Inc. and champion for the Veterans Tribute Tower in Williamsburg.
The Tower is 30’ high with four classic backlit clock dials and a custom cast 250 lb. 24” diameter bronze bell. The bronze bell will be cast by Verdin’s Bell Foundry on Wheels, the only traveling bell foundry in the world. The bell and Veterans Tribute Tower will be dedicated on November 10, 2011, in time for Veterans Day on 11/11/11.
“This is gratifying to know that we will have another permanent, lasting tribute to those that made and continue to make sacrifices for each and every one of us each day," said Jim Verdin, President, The Verdin Company. “It's also an opportunity to say 'thank you' to veterans in honor of their selfless service to our nation."
Funding for the Veterans Tribute Tower is made possible by donations from the Williamsburg community. For every tower built, Verdin donates a portion of the revenue to the Commission on the Future for America's Veterans.
Learn more » Veterans Tribute Towers
Learn more » Virginia Veterans Tribute Tower
October 10, 2011
Purple benches line the Purple People Bridge walkway in Cincinnati
The dead bamboo, yellow poles, and overhead strings of lights are gone - and the Cincinnati side of the Purple People Bridge is a lot more purple now.
Volunteers repainted poles and new planters. They planted daylilies, coneflower and hibiscus. Purple benches by the Verdin Company, each with its donor's name on a plaque, line the walkway. The new look – it was shepherded by Councilwoman Laure Quinlivan, who thought the bridge was too ugly to be an inviting gateway – was unveiled at a ceremony.
"It really is just about making the city more vibrant," Quinlivan said, "the kind of place you want to hang out."
Price tag: About $23,000. No public money was involved, though the city did give Quinlivan three linden trees and a garbage can - far less than the about $500,000 the city spent for the old 2005 design.
The L&N Bridge, as it is officially known, was built in 1872, and after a $4 million face-lift in 2003, was restricted to pedestrians and bicycles.(Source: The Enquirer, 9/29/11)
Learn more » site furnishings by Verdin
September 29, 2011
I.T. Verdin is posthumously inducted into the Greater Cincinnati Business Hall of Fame
Junior Achievement and the Cincinnati Museum Center posthumously inducted I.T. Verdin into the Greater Cincinnati Business Hall of Fame.
I.T. was chosen for his business achievements, contributions to the quality of life in the community, and for being a pioneer in his industry.
Verdin, who was born in Cincinnati, took his family's successful clock-making and bell repair business to national prominence through his innovative breakthrough that brought automation to bell ringing. He died in 1936, and his sons would expand nationally, changing from a local Cincinnati company to one with a national sales force and international recognition — selling bells, carillons, and clocks to churches, universities, municipalities, non-profits, and businesses.
Read more » about I.T. Verdin
September 28, 2011
Our website has a new look
While we've refined the design with a fresh, crisp new look, we've also expanded the information on bells, clocks, and towers. The site also uses the latest web technology to improve your visit.
Now it’s easier to get the information and products you need:
Service and Support
The new site provides a dedicated, expanded section for service and support information, including answers to common frequently asked product questions, and a convenient process to request service or product manuals. The section also highlights Verdin's unparalleled service and dedicated service department that provides ongoing support —long after the installation.
Design A Post Clock and Design A Tower Clock
We've created a simple visual experience that invites you to step through a photo-driven clock design request process. Check it out – have fun – be creative!
Community Section
Our new community page will feature installations (colleges, cities and towns, churches, etc.), recent installations, customer interviews, downloads, and more. This page will be updated often; so come back and read more about what we are doing and ideas on ways you can enhance your community.
Photo Gallery
In addition to our product slide shows, we created a photo gallery to feature our work. You can display photos by several categories. Verdin has over 50,000 installations world-wide! Have a great photo to add? Whether it’s a Verdin post clock on Main Street or a church bell tower ringing on a Sunday morning, send us your photos.
Canterbury by Verdin Site Furnishings
We now have a direct link to Verdin's Canterbury Site Furnishings. Check out our benches, bollards, trash receptacles, tree grates, and much more. Contact us to discuss your custom designs.
We invite you to explore some of the new features in detail...
Browse our new site and email us to let us know what you think. What other changes do you want to see? Your comments and suggestions are important to us and welcomed! And contact us to discuss your bell or clock requirements.
Read more » about Verdin
September 21, 2011
New PBS NOVA two-hour special, "Making Stuff: The Elements" films bell casting at the Verdin Bell Foundry
NOVA "Making Stuff: The Elements” host and film crew recently made a stop at the Verdin Bell Foundry to shoot the making of a 500-pound, cast bronze bell, for a segment focusing on the element: bronze (tin and copper). "Making Stuff" is a four-part NOVA television series that highlights current advances in the field of materials science. Each NOVA episode focuses on a specific aspect of materials science research and application.
The NOVA television series is hosted by David Pogue, New York Times technology columnist and Emmy Award–winning CBS News correspondent. The show will feature bronze and is scheduled to air in February, 2012.
Verdin bronze bells are composed of pure copper and tin. Although the ratio of copper to tin is different depending on the size of the bell, most Verdin bells are approximately 80% copper and 20% tin. Only new metal is used in a Verdin bell casting. Verdin foundry is the largest bell foundry in America. Verdin is the preeminent manufacturer and installer of the world’s finest bells and bell ringing equipment, digital carillons, clocks, and towers.
View more » how a bell is made
September 15, 2011
Rotary Clubs revitalizing Marshall, MN community
The newly renovated Memorial Park in Marshall, MN, has increased the charm of a favorite gathering place. The first part of the revitalization project included a gateway arch and Rotary clock by Verdin. The gateway has become the entrance to Marshall’s downtown, a site for community events, and has set the standard for the city’s planned renovation projects. The renovation of the park was the “Centennial Project” for two local Rotary Clubs, the city, and the Marshall community.
View more » photo gallery
September 11, 2011
9/11 Memorial for First Resonders
More than 300 people turned out Saturday, September 11, 2011, for the dedication of the 9/11 Responders Remembered Memorial Park in Nesconset, Long Island. It is the first memorial to honor first responders.
The ceremony featured the unveiling of a 60-foot black granite wall and post clock, honoring first responders and their sacrifice at Ground Zero 10 years ago. The names of about a thousand first responders who have died from illnesses linked to work at Ground Zero will be etched in the granite.
At the center of the wall, is the park’s 16-foot high post clock by The Verdin Company. It was donated by WPIX-TV through the fund-raising arm of the station.
View memorial »
September 9, 2011
Bells to ring across America in remembrance of 9/11
Church bells across America will ring on Sunday, Sept. 11, at various times throughout the day, to mark the 10th Anniversary of 9/11. The bells will ring in honor and remembrance of all those killed or injured in the attacks and devastated by the loss of a loved one on that day.
Many churches, and cities and towns across the country, are ringing their Verdin bells and digital carillons on Sunday. Verdin encourages its over 50,000 bell customers to join the national remembrance to honor and remember our heroes.
VERDIN 9/11 MOMENT OF REMEMBERANCE
The Verdin Company will toll bells at its headquarters in Cincinnati for 5 minutes at 8:46 a.m. on Sunday, –the precise moment Flight 11 flew into the North Tower of the World Trade Center.
September 1, 2011
By Lauren Bishop at Enquirer.com
Verdin to Create Peace Bell for World Choir Games
The Cincinnati-based Verdin Co. has been chosen to design and manufacture a peace bell for the 2012 World Choir Games, which will be July 4-14 in Cincinnati.
The peace bell is one of the signature symbols of the international choral competition, which will bring 20,000 participants from more than 70 countries here next year. Developed by Interkultur, the Germany-based founder of the World Choir Games, the first peace bell debuted at the first World Choir Games in 2000 in Linz, Austria. It is rung at the opening and closing ceremonies of the games, calling for all participating countries to sing and celebrate together in peace.
Read more » Peace Bell
August 14, 2011
By Joel Davis joeld@thedailytimes.com
Courthouse Clock Back On Time
It took a licking, but it’s back to ticking. After more than a month, the west face of the Blount County Courthouse clock tower has been restored to working order.
On Friday, an employee of Cincinnati-based I.T. Verdin Co. replaced the mechanism that drives that face of the clock, which burned out back in June. It’s the second service call the company has made since it installed the original clockworks in the tower back in 1907. The first was in 1974.
Read more » Courthouse Clock Restoration
June 13, 2011
Verdin Carillon Completes World-Class Performing Arts Center
LAS VEGAS – The Smith Center for the Performing Arts welcomed the arrival of its 47 cast bronze carillon bells, which were placed into the 17-story tower this week.
"The Carillon tower will be a civic icon, a place for the community to celebrate and share in jubilation when we open in nine short months,” said Myron Martin, president and CEO of The Smith Center.
Martin added that the bell tower will make The Smith Center building a musical instrument thanks to these finely crafted musical bells.
Read more » Smith Center carillon bells
April 2, 2010
Getting Bells Ringing Again
MT. ADAMS, OH – Holy Cross-Immaculata Church in Mt. Adams, Ohio, completed the restoration of their three cast bronze church bells that were in urgent need of repair. The 150 year old bell tower was silenced in 2008 because the equipment that houses and rings the bells had become dangerously fragile and in need of replacement.
“The church has played a major role in so many Catholic and non-Catholic lives in Greater Cincinnati. This is a wonderful occasion for our church and the community,” said the Rev. Martin Moran III, pastor of Holy Cross-Immaculata Church. “The bells and church history connect with so many people.”
Read more » restoring church bells
March 3, 2010
The Most Versatile Carillon...
The Verdin Supreme digital carillon features a comprehensive bell and music library, and keyboard to play the sound of beautiful cast bronze bells. The sound of 61 real cast bells provides five complete octaves or tones for full musical expression, and expandable up to 10,000 musical selections. Users can enjoy the true sound of Verdin real cast bronze bells and can also operate the ringing of their cast bells with optional hardware. The Supreme Carillon is truly the most versatile carillon...and only from Verdin.
