Festival will not feature commemorative bell

The 2012 Festival of The Bells will not feature a commemorative bell, after the glass manufacturer went out of business. However, other merchandise will be created to remember the 2012 festival.

Rick Williams, entertainment committee chairperson for the festival, told The Highland County Press that alternative commemorative merchandise will be available, but after The Fenton Glass Art Company ceased production, they are unable to manufacture a bell.

The Festival of the Bells first began selling the commemorative bells in 1991. The first one featured the Highland County Courthouse, and last year's bell featured the old Fifth Third Building in Hillsboro.

This year's festival will be held July 5-7 in Uptown Hillsboro.

According to the company's website, "The Fenton Art Glass Company was founded in 1905 by Frank L. Fenton and his brother John W. Fenton in an old glass factory building in Martins Ferry, Ohio. They began by painting decorations on glass blanks made by other glass manufacturers. Soon, being unable to get the glass they needed, they decided to produce their own glass. The first glass from the new Fenton factory in Williamstown, West Virginia, was made on Jan. 2, 1907."

After 106 years in business, the factory began "winding down production," in 2011.

"That's the only reason we're not doing it this year," Williams said.

The Festival of the Bells committee will not rule out doing bells in the future with a different company, but in the meantime there will be additional merchandise.

Area artist Stacia Burke is creating a piece painting that will feature the former Hillsboro fire station, which stood on the corner of South High and West Walnut where Pizza Hut is located.

Williams said that fire station burned down in 1949.