A model of Iowa State University’s campanile pictured recently. The 1:5 scale replica and 27-bell carillon will be visiting Traer on June 3 as part of the town’s Sesquicentennial celebration. PHOTO COURTESY OF JUDY MORRISON

TRAER – Iowa State University’s model campanile will be part of Traer’s Big Birthday Bash on June 3. Following a concert at 3 p.m. in Taylor Park, members of the public will have the opportunity to ask questions and try their hand at playing.

The campanile including its carillon is an Iowa State University tradition remembered fondly by both alumni and visitors to the campus alike. The 1:5 scale replica model and 27-bell carillon serve as an extension of that legacy.

Reprinted below are two newspaper articles that historically connect Traer to the ISU campanile.

New Chimes at Ames to honor name of Stanton

Former Traer girl to administer bequest of husband at Iowa State College

By Traer-Star Clipper, 10 June 1928

Mrs. Julia W. Stanton, dean of women at Iowa State college, former Traer girl, sister of Mrs. R. C. Wood will supervise the addition of twenty-six new bells to be purchased as memorial with money left for the purpose by her late husband.

A recent issue of the Des Moines Register carried the following relative to the proposed memorial:

“More bells will toll shortly from Ames’ famous campanile tower. They will toll in memory of the name of Stanton, a name associated intimately, with Iowa State college.

“President Raymond Hughes today announced a bequest of $24,000 from the late Dean Edgar W. Stanton. with which twenty-six new bells will be added to the ten whose ringing is inseparable from the collegiate memories of all Ames graduates.

“The bequest was submitted today by President Hughes to the state board of education at the Iowa City session which agreed to recommend an expenditure of $2,000 for alteration of the square, cream colored tower on the campus to admit a total of thirty-six bells….

“As trustee of the chimes fund, Mrs. Julia W. Stanton has informed the state board of education that she has already communicated with the manufacturers of the original ten bells now in the campanile, which were the first scientifically tuned chimes imported to the United States.

“Dean Stanton left a total of $38,929.25 in the trust fund to be used as the trustee sees fit. He suggested that she consult with his children in the establishment of the memorial. They have been advised that $24,000 will cover the purchase of the twenty-six bell chimes.

“At present the largest of the ten bell chimes weighs 3,600 pounds and the smallest 450. In the new carillon the largest bell will weigh 5,200 pounds, the smallest 80 pounds.”

New carillon bells for Ames

By Traer Star-Clipper, 2 Aug 1929

The twenty-six new bells for the carillon of the Iowa State college campanile at Ames arrived in New York Monday, July 29, aboard the steamship Albertie from England. The bells range in weight from five to 5,100 pounds, the total weight being 21,000 pounds. Workmen have completed remodeling the interior of the campanile to receive them. Funds for the bells, which will cost $25,000. were provided in the will of the late Dean Edgar W. Stanton. His widow, Julia M. Stanton, who was born and reared near Traer, married Dr. Stanton in 1899, and who later became dean of women at Ames, was the executrix of the estate and only completed arrangements for the purchase and turned the money over to college authorities few hours before she was stricken with apoplexy recently and died.