Beckering Family Carillon Tower
Encyclopedia
The Beckering Family Carillon Tower is a 151 feet (46 m) carillon
-clock tower located in Grand Rapids, Michigan
on the Pew Campus of Grand Valley State University
. The tower and carillon was funded and built by Pioneer Construction in 2000. The Beckering family, for which the tower is named, established Pioneer Construction in 1933.
The 48 carillon bells are cast of bronze by the Fonderie Paccard
in France
, who also installed them within the tower.
GVSU also has another carillon, the Cook Carillon Tower
, located on the main Allendale campus in Allendale, Michigan
.
Carillon
A carillon is a musical instrument that is typically housed in a free-standing bell tower, or the belfry of a church or other municipal building. The instrument consists of at least 23 cast bronze, cup-shaped bells, which are played serially to play a melody, or sounded together to play a chord...
-clock tower located in Grand Rapids, Michigan
Grand Rapids, Michigan
Grand Rapids is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. The city is located on the Grand River about 40 miles east of Lake Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 188,040. In 2010, the Grand Rapids metropolitan area had a population of 774,160 and a combined statistical area, Grand...
on the Pew Campus of Grand Valley State University
Grand Valley State University
Grand Valley State University is a public liberal arts university located in Allendale, Michigan, United States. The university was established in 1960, and its main campus is situated on approximately west of Grand Rapids...
. The tower and carillon was funded and built by Pioneer Construction in 2000. The Beckering family, for which the tower is named, established Pioneer Construction in 1933.
The 48 carillon bells are cast of bronze by the Fonderie Paccard
Fonderie Paccard
Fonderie Paccard is a French foundry founded in 1796, which has cast more than 120,000 bells located throughout the world. The foundry has been continuously operated for seven generations by the Paccard family. The largest bell cast by Paccard is the World Peace Bell....
in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, who also installed them within the tower.
GVSU also has another carillon, the Cook Carillon Tower
Cook Carillon Tower
The Cook Carillon Tower is a 10-story-tall carillon-clock tower located in the center of the Grand Valley State University-Allendale campus in Allendale, Michigan. The tower and carillon was built in 1994 with help from generous donations by Peter C. and Pat Cook for which it is named...
, located on the main Allendale campus in Allendale, Michigan
Allendale Charter Township, Michigan
Allendale Charter Township is a charter township of Ottawa County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the township population was 20,708...
.