Antioch’s First Congregational Church bell to be unveiled in November

ANTIOCH – For the Zamora family, the sound of the 700-pound First Congregational Church bell in Antioch isn’t just a piece of history, it was a part of their childhood.

Roxanne Zamora-Solak remembers her weekend mornings when she and her siblings would arrive at the church early to “ride the bell.”

“There would be a string and they then hook it, and you would just ride it up and down, and that was fun,” said Zamora-Solak. “It was part of our childhood memories.”

In 2010, the church sold its building and grounds to the Salvation Army and decided to relocate to Pittsburg, sharing ministry with the Community Presbyterian Church of Pittsburg.

Through a deed of gift, the ownership of the bell was then transferred to the Antioch Historical Society in 2021.

Zamora-Solak’s father, the late Joseph Zamora, had helped to store the bell in the family’s backyard for decades before it was moved to the Antioch Historical Society Museum.

Joseph Zamora was 103 when he died in June, just a month shy of witnessing the groundbreaking ceremony at the museum grounds to build a tower to house the bell.

For Zamora-Solak, it’s now “where it belongs”.

The historical society, through its “Let It Ring Again” campaign, had raised funds to construct the tower to house the historic bell.

The bell was originally cast in bronze by the Meneely Bell Foundry of West Troy, New York, in 1868. It was later shipped around Cape Horn before landing in Antioch.

According to the historical society, the bell is a “historically significant artifact,” as it first rang across Antioch in 1872, when the city had just 626 residents.

Dwayne Eubanks, the historical society’s chair of the campaign’s advice committee, said the completed project will be unveiled to the public at the Antioch Historical Society Museum starting at 10 a.m. on Nov. 1.

This is in conjunction with two major milestones: the historical society’s 50th anniversary and the 25th anniversary of the historical society’s stewardship of the 1910 Riverview Union High School building.

There will be live poetry and music, food, and remarks from community dignitaries as well as “surprises” that reflect the spirit and diversity of Antioch, said Eubanks.

Eubanks said the historical society is still welcoming sponsors for the project.

Donations may be sent to the Antioch Historical Museum, 1500 West 4th St., Antioch, CA 94509.