Bell Tower

Located in the heart of Marlborough, this multi-sided gazebo-type structure was designed and built by Marlborough residents in 1993 to house the Monadnock Blanket Mill Bell --- an important reminder of Marlborough’s industrial past.

The historic bell was rung as a signal of the working hours at the Blanket Mill from 1869 to about 1950. The bell and a plaque are symbols of Marlborough’s history of textile manufacturing in the 19th and 20th century. Over those years there had been four major textile companies along the Minnewawa River, producing everything from horse and camp blankets to woven labels.

The historic bell was donated by Gerhardt Blombach, owner of Minnewawa Manufacturing, a narrow fabric label manufacturer and the last of the textile businesses. The Marlborough Historical Society and many volunteers designed and built the Bell Tower as a fitting home for the historic bell.

The Bell Tower was given to the town in 1995 by the Marlborough Historical Society, and since then the town's Heritage Commission has been responsible for its maintenance. In 2015 the first major repair project was completed, with new roofing funded by donations from residents and businesses of the town.