Naperville's Moser Tower and Millennium Carillon

A Teen's View of the Carillon

from Allie Mooney's article for the September 2008 issue of the monthly paper Positively Naperville.

For the past eight years, the Millennium Carillon has drifted melodies into the streets of downtown Naperville. The Moser Tower that holds the musical carillon has become a facet in the community’s landscape, but it didn’t open for a full schedule of tours until this summer. I was lucky to take a tour on a clear day, in which I had the chance to truly appreciate this gift to the community.

When walking into the tower, one of the first things you notice is the amount of stairs spiraling out of view. However, the exertion of climbing the stairs is rewarded with a

magnificent display of musical prowess.

At the bottom you will find the largest bell, named after Joseph Naper, which weighs 6

tons and is suspended 60 feet in the air.

On the other hand, the smallest bell is about 40 feet higher and weighs 10 pounds.

Each bell is engraved with an inscription which tells a story about the contributor.

The farther up I climbed, the more apparent it became that the carillon was more than just a testament to music, but a testament to the spirit of Naperville and all who live

here.

The tour continues 30 steps higher to the observation deck. At 160 feet, a peak of stone forms stark white lines that set contrast with the sky. The world stretches out, with the Chicago skyline visible, as well as Fermilab and neighboring towns.

As I soaked in the vastness, I began to feel minute compared to the rest of the world. But now, I realize that feeling is actually the intent of the carillon.

Each bell completes the whole, and even if the smallest were missing, the carillon

would be incomplete and the melody wouldn’t ring as far or as sweet.

Allie Mooney is a senior at Neuqua Valley High School where she’s active in the school newspaper, Cross Country, Varsity Singers, and Snowball, a healthy lifestyle teen retreat.