Bells ringing again in Belltown

EAST HAMPTON, Conn. (WTNH) -- East Hampton is also known as Belltown, and in the 1800's there were 30 bell makers in town. Earlier this year, Bevin Manufacturing, the last one remaining, was wiped out by a devastating fire; Wednesday the bells were ringing again.

Four months ago, a bolt of lightening sparked the fire that destroyed the 200-year-old Bevin Brothers Manufacturing Company, the only company left in the nation that makes only bells.

Now, in a building about a quarter a mile from the ruins of the historic plant, bell manufacturing is underway again.

Twenty thousand Salvation Army bells are on their way across North America.

Thousands of the bells used in nursing homes are on their way out.

Even the cow bells, still used by farmers and people at sporting events are on their way out from East Hampton: Belltown, U.S.A.

The original die for casting the bells, some 100 years old, was retrieved from the ruins by the only tool and die maker still around.

"I made a few tests on some of the dies and they were still hard," said Austin Gardner, of Colchester, "so I said, yes, Matt, we can rebuild them."

Fourteen of the company's 27 employees have been rehired so that orders can keep being filed.

"It's critical that we rebuild the business and that is, get back to producing, get back to delivering things to our customers," said Matt Bevin, owner, "maintaining that communication so that we have a reason to rebuild a building down the road."

Muradif Abidovic escaped the war in Bosnia and started at the bell factory 12 years ago. He never expected to be back to work so soon.

"I'm thinking that's being a long time for starting again," said Abidovic, "but we're back really fast."

Another local company recreated a Bevin Yacht bell to help celebrate Wednesday, marking the return of the bells in Belltown, U.S.A.