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Thomas Ouellette
County Commissioner Rick Gardner helped lead the effort to refurbish the bell. He says Madison County doesn't have a lot of historic landmarks anymore, and it's important to maintain the ones that still stand.

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Rick Gardner
Well, I think history is very important. I don't think we ever want to forget our history.

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Thomas Ouellette
The bell was sent out for modification almost a year ago and was finally installed above the Madison County Government building last week, according to the Madison County Historic Society.

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Thomas Ouellette
It was originally installed in the county's courthouse in 1885. That building was demolished in 1972. The bell was set up in the new courthouse the next year, but because it was designed to ring manually, it stayed silent. Now, Gardner says, it's been wired to the clock on the Madison County Government Building and will ring with it on the hour.

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Thomas Ouellette
Repairs and alterations to connect and sync both total around $38,000. Thomas Ouellette IPR news.