BRISTOL, Maine — Editor's note: The attached video was originally published on Jan. 13, 2024.
Restoration efforts are underway in Bristol after major storms damaged one of Maine's most familiar historic buildings.
The old Fog Bell House at Pemaquid Point suffered heavy damage after its wall was ripped open during a gnarly January storm.
The bell house, which sits beside the famous Pemaquid Point Lighthouse, is visited by thousands of people each year, and for generations was a spot where people would shelter from wind while watching surf during a storm.
During the January storm, its front wall and an end wall caved in. Its notable bell, known for hanging outside on the wall facing the ocean, was inside the building underneath a pile of bricks and broken wood.
Shelley Gallagher with Bristol Parks and Recreation told NEWS CENTER Maine the bell was already inside the bell house before the storm.
"We had cut it down in August because the beam it was on had rotted and was not safe," Gallagher said. "It was very lucky it was inside because if it was hanging where it had been it probably would have been lost."
Wind gusts at Pemaquid Point that day reached up to 68 MPH.
With the storm in the past, restoration efforts to fix the historic building have begun.
Bristol Parks and Recreation took to social media Monday sharing that the bell was removed from the building to begin preparations for restoration work beginning this week.
The department said the mason, who will repair the brick, will create a wooden box-like structure inside to stabilize the building during the restoration efforts.
As for the actual brickwork, the department stated it is expected to begin restoration in early to mid-May once the weather warms up.
Bristol Parks and Recreation added that the siding on the main lighthouse building should be finished this week.
Gallagher said the bell house is expected to look almost exactly the same as it did before once restoration is complete.
"We will be using all of the original bricks as well as others the mason found from the same time period to make up for the bricks that were lost or damaged," Gallagher explained. "The work will be done with the building in place so he will build up the two walls that are missing, then will begin to remove sections at a time and rebuild those sections until all of the walls have been repaired. There are no walls that do not need to be repaired so all of the bricks will be coming out and being redone."
Gallagher added once the brickwork is done, a new beam and the windows, roof, and door will be installed.
"Once all of the work is done, I think we will have a bell-hanging ceremony to return the bell back to its rightful location," Gallagher said.
The date for the bell-hanging ceremony has yet to be determined.
"It is coming along," the department said.
While Gallagher said the department is funding these restoration efforts, members of the public can also donate if they'd like.
"We have an apparel shop through KDK Printing and Embroidery where all of the proceeds go to us," Gallagher said.
Mainers can also scan the QR code below, or mail donations to:
Bristol Parks and Recreation
1180 Bristol Rd.
Bristol, ME 04539
Soon enough, visitors and residents will be able to enjoy and admire the historic building once again.