Looking On The New Year, Sharon's 250 First Day Celebration

The first day of 2015 was one I will always remember. I was asked by the Sharon 250th Anniversary Comittee to be the official photographer for the events during the year.  The kickoff event  was  a celebration of the first day of the year, January 1st in the town center. I love to photograph this picturesque and historic town, so I was honored that they selected me.  
I am also a Sharon history buff. I can't get enough of it. As a third grade teacher in Sharon, I spent many years teaching  Sharon history.  It is part of the third grade curriculum. 

Now for the really exciting part, I was given permission by the wonderful pastor of the Unitarian Church, Rev. Jim Robinson, to climb up in the steeple of the Unitarian Church and take pictures of the celebration going on below. My husband had the idea to ask him. I was beside myself with excitement.

The above picture was taken at about 4:00 pm just before sundown.

My husband and I climbed several different ladders with my two cameras. Here I am sitting under THE BELL!!! The bell cast by Paul Revere!  The bell weighing  960 pounds made by Paul Revere and sons in 1811! The bell  that I have talked so much about with my students. The bell that is one of 2 Paul Revere bells in Sharon! (The other one is in the Congregational Church.)

Some may not think the bell  is so exciting, but think of what it represents in history. Bells were used as a way to communicate. They rang for time keeping , on the hour and sometimes on the half hour. They called people to worship, they rang out for meeting times and many other alerts. In fact, Paul Revere's  job as a teenager was as a bell ringer in the Old North Church in Boston.  He actually didn't start casting bells until he was 57 years old, and that was only by a twist of fate. 
*for more reading on this....http://www.newenglandhistoricalsociety.com/ring-revere-bells/

The above picture was taken through a little hatch door in the face of the clock. I had to be careful not to touch the hands of the clock, for it is still keeping time for Sharon.

There are clocks on both sides of the steeple. You can see Eastern Savings bank and South Main St, through this side.

This is  a photograph of the front clock hatch door. The extensive gears that operate the clock were so interesting.

This picture was taken on a different day, but it shows the little door that I never noticed before.

Another picture from the face of the clock. Can you guess what time it is? If you guessed 4:20, you would be right.

My husband, my protector and encourager.

In my glory, doing what I love!

This is the picture  I took looking back to show where we had been right after we climbed down. What an awesome way to start 2015!