Evansville, Indiana – November 24, 2025 – The iconic bell of the Old Vanderburgh County Courthouse will soon return to service following months of restoration work. On Tuesday, November 25, the Director of the Center for Applied Research at the University of Southern Indiana (USI), along with several USI students who have been involved in the project, will install a newly manufactured drop hammer in the historic bell tower.
In May, during a routine inspection, County maintenance staff discovered that the bell’s drop hammer had snapped off its base after an estimated 7 million strikes over its 134-year lifespan. A replacement hammer was commissioned from McShane Bell Foundry, the same manufacturer that originally cast the Old Courthouse bell in 1890.
The installation is expected to be completed Tuesday afternoon, with plans for the bell to ring again by 5:00 p.m. This milestone marks the restoration of one of the Old Courthouse’s most cherished historic features and highlights the ongoing partnership between Vanderburgh County and USI to preserve the landmark’s architectural and mechanical history.
