CALIFORNIA MISSION BELL

CALIFORNIA MISSION BELL

This mission bell was salvaged from one of the 21 missions established by the Franciscan Order in the late 1700s and early 1800s in early California.  Most of the missions collapsed or were destroyed and a few of the original  ones remained.  Many have been rebuilt in recent years and their bells were recast  from molds of the original bells.  This bell was probably made in Spain in the late 1700s and installed in the mission after 1790.

The bell was given to Dale and Gloria Barnett many years ago by John (Dutch) Patten who had salvaged the bell.  He was an uncle of Dale's.  Dutch was born in Payson.  He also gave the Barnetts other historical items:  two oxen yokes, oxen shoes, old bridle bits, and an Indian papoose cradle.

The Barnetts decided the bell  should become part of the collection of the Peteetneet Museum.  It was donated to the Peteetneet along with the small bell tower to house it and the plaques that sits in front of the bell tower.

The following donated their service and/or materials for the construction:

Engineered by Tom DeGraw

Masonry work by Doug May

Red sandstone from Kanab by V. L. Barnett

Installed by Rick DeGraw, Gary DeGraw, Sargent Barnett and Dale Barnett