OUCH! I've got an owie!

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The Dayton Bell Tower that has stood since 1909 still stands but around 9:00 pm Saturday, May 26, 2012 it fell victim to a "Hit and Run" according to the Sheridan County Sheriffs Daily Law Incident Summary Report. This was followed later with a Sheridan County Sheriff's Arrest of a Jonathan Robert Melville - 18 - of Ranchester for DWUI, Leaving Accident . . . Arrested by SCSO. The sheriff's office on Tuesday when asked if there was "linkage" between these two events said, "yes." The good news is that someone linked to the hit and run has been arrested; the bad news is that the Bell Tower sustained some damage as shown in the photos below. Whether it was built in 1909-1910 or 1911 is up for debate but what is not in dispute is that the Bell Tower is to Dayton much like the Statute of Liberty is to America. The Bell Tower is on or around almost everything associated with the Town of Dayton. From the City of Dayton's home web page to brochures, pins, photographs in the Mayors office the logo like status of the Bell Tower is everywhere and now it has been damaged. Mayor Bob Wood indicated that the town has insurance on the structure and that the driver of the vehicle that hit the tower has insurance coverage. Soon the structure will be examined to determine what repairs are needed to this structure that has survived two moves since being built on Main Street. Did you know that during WWII the tower was used for spotting airplanes and sported a walkway around and near the top of the tower?

Hopefully the necessary repairs can soon be accomplished and the "orange bandage fence" removed so that summer visitors to our area can see the greatness of our area and not a bruise caused by a 2-percenter.

The Dayton Bell Tower that has stood since 1909 still stands but around 9:00 pm Saturday, May 26, 2012 it fell victim to a "Hit and Run" according to the Sheridan County Sheriffs Daily Law Incident Summary Report.
The east side of the Dayton Bell Tower where a gaping hole can be seen behind the temporary orange plastic fencing - toward the right side the newer metal siding has been torn away and the older wood siding can be seen
Most noticeable damage is on the east side: on the left you can see the entire east side while the right side shows a close up view of the hole, the damage around the window and the separation of the two east walls that extends halfway up the tower
The Dayton Bell Tower sign that is viewable as you enter the park near the tower
The bell tower as viewed from the north
The signage on the Bell Tower on the east sid
This cover of a "Welcome to Dayton, Wyoming" brochure has the Bell Tower on the cover. Inside it says this about the tower: "The Dayton Bell Tower was built in 1910. In addition to sounding fire alarms, it was used for spotting airplanes during WWII. (note the walkway around the tower on the cover) The war also produced an all woman volunteer fire department. The tower stands today in the Scott Park."
Seems like the Bell Tower is on everything associated with Dayton - even this pin from the Town of Dayton
My attempt at showing the same view on Tuesday, May 29, 2012 that shows up in the photo most often associated with the Dayton Bell Tower taken sometime ago and appears on the Town of Dayton web site and that hangs in Mayor Wood's office.