On Sunday, January 8, Mary Alice and I visited Stephen Foster State Park. Mary Alice remembered visiting it several times in her youth, but I had never been there. It was built to commerate Stephen C. Foster, a prolific songwriter during the middle 1800s. One of his best-known songs, “Old Folks at Home,” has the words “Way down upon the Suwannee River ….”
The facilities include a museum built in the style of an old plantation house and many outbuildings housing folk art artists. There is also a performing arts stage and a 96-bell carillon tower that is currently inoperable. Efforts are underway to fully restore the carillon, but the company that originally manufactured it (J. C. Deagan – Chicago, IL) is no longer in business. Because of that, new parts must be custom-made and are very expensive. The bells are a tubular design invented by J. C. Deagan in 1916. The tubular design allows up to four overtones to be individually tuned, thereby eliminating dissonances present in cast bells.
Here’s some photos and a video we took during our visit, there.
Front of the Stephen Foster MuseumRear of the Stephen Foster MuseumA Short Video of Musical Instruments on Display in the Museum. Some Were Actually Played by Stephen Foster.A Steinway Grand Piano with a Paul Von Janko Keyboard. This Keyboard Supposedly Made the Piano Easier to Play but it Was a Short-Lived Innovation.Close-Up of the Paul Von Janko KeyboardMore Information on the Paul Von Janko Keyboard.Diorama Depicting One of Stephen Foster’s Songs – “Camptown Races”Diorama – “Old Dog Tray”Diorama – “Jeanie with the Light Brown Hair”Another Diorama – “Way Down Upon the Suwannee River ….”200 Foot-Tall Tower Housing 96-Bell Carrillon.A Timer Mechanism That Played the Carrillon at Regular Intervals Throughout the Day.One of the Electrical Bell Strikers Used in the Carrillon. The Actuator is a Huge Electromagnet that strikes the Tubular Bronze Bell Hanging on the Right Side of the Glass Cabinet.Close-up of the Electromagnet Bell Striker.A Voltmeter Showing the Carrillon Operated at 45 – 50 Volts – Probably DC.An Ammeter Showing the Carrillon Could Pull Up to 200 Amps! A Sign Said Chords Could Only be Three Notes to Avoid Blowing a Fuse!
