Ringing out again

The bell tower and clapper at Episcopal Church of the Messiah in downtown Murphy have spent the last few weeks being cleaned and restored at the Cherokee County Quarry, and last week they were put back where they belong on the town’s steepest roof with the help of Ramsey Crane Service. The 3,500-pound bell, which was born around 1904 from molten ore before being poured into a sand cast mold, since then has called out to generations of local residents on Sunday mornings. The Rev. Dr. Marguerite Rourk said, “Regular repair and remodeling have assured the structural and aesthetic integrity of this beautiful house of worship.”