NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Ten historic bronze bells that have called East Nashville home for more than a century were carefully removed from their tower Friday morning, marking the beginning of an ambitious $400,000 restoration project that aims to bring their chimes back to the community by next year.

The bells, originally cast for the 1897 Tennessee Centennial Exposition by the Vanduzen Company, represent one of the few remaining artifacts from that historic event. After serving the neighborhood for more than 100 years at the former Tulip Street United Methodist Church, the historic chimes are now headed to The Verdin Company of Cincinnati, Ohio, for comprehensive restoration.

East End United Methodist Church has launched a fundraising campaign to restore these rare pieces of Tennessee

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