The Bell Tower
Standing beside the Way of Truth Temple is one of Ocean Park’s most recognizable landmarks—the Bell Tower. Built in 1882, just one year after the Temple was completed, this graceful wooden structure has served as both a practical signal and a lasting symbol of community for more than 140 years. Together with the Temple, Porter Memorial Hall, and Jordan Memorial Hall, it forms the historic Temple Square, the heart of Ocean Park’s Chautauqua community.
At first glance, the Bell Tower appears almost whimsical. Its open wooden framework supports a hipped roof with decorative circular panels that resemble clock faces, while a staircase leads to the elevated platform where the bell is housed. Rather than enclosing the bell inside a church steeple, the founders chose to place it in its own freestanding tower, making it both highly visible and easily heard throughout the growing summer community.
From its earliest days, the bell helped establish the rhythm of life in Ocean Park. It announced the beginning of Sunday morning worship in the Temple, called residents and visitors to lectures and community gatherings, and marked important moments during the summer season. Long before electronic communication, the sound of the bell carried through the pine trees, reminding everyone that Ocean Park was more than a collection of cottages. It was a community that gathered to worship, learn, and celebrate.
The Bell Tower also became a musical instrument. Today, it continues the tradition of ringing not only before worship services but also with familiar hymns and songs during the summer season. In the evening, the tower is illuminated, serving as what the Ocean Park Association describes as a “beacon of welcome” for residents and visitors alike.
For more than a century, its familiar sound has welcomed newcomers, gathered neighbors, and announced moments of worship and celebration. In many ways, the Bell Tower has become the voice of Ocean Park—calling each new generation to become part of a tradition that continues to this day.
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