Glockenspiel, Mount Angel, OR - Town Clocks on Waymarking.com

Mount Angel was founded by Swiss and Bavarian immigrants in the late 19th century. However, in the late 20th century it found itself rapidly decaying, and the aging citizenry was unable to find a way to revive the town. Henri Ruef Dill, a third generation resident, wanted to build a structure that had businesses on the ground floor, and senior citizen housing above. As she was trying to move the project along, it was recommended that the building have a glockenspiel. After a fundraising drive, and with a grant from Marion County, the project moved forward.

The glockenspiel was the first part of the structure completed, in time for Oktoberfest in September, 2006. However, since much of the mechanism had to be custom built, and was not yet ready, several people operated much of it by hand. The next few months saw the completion of the business (including a bank, German gift shop and German restaurant) and senior resident sections, along with the workings of the glockenspiel.

The glockenspiel itself rises to 49 feet above the street. The display happens four times daily (when operational), at 11 a.m., 1, 4 & 7 p.m, and uses hand carved wood figures from around the northwest. It begins with a member of the Kapaluya tribe enacting a chant formerly used on a nearby butte, regarded as a holy place. Then appearances by both the founder of the town and the founder of the local benedectine monastery appear to a Gregorian chant. Then a chorus of the benedectine sisters accompanies their founder, and after that Papa Omm Pah serenades us with his tuba. Finally, figures of a young boy and girl appear, with a children's chorus singing "Edelweiss". The performance ends when one of the children burps, triggering much laughter, all of which is part of the recording.