After a lightening-sparked fire gutted the Braham Minnesota Evangelical Lutheran Church in 1985, church members were forced to raze the charred structure and rebuild a new place of worship.

American Iron president Fred Isaacs with Braham Evangelical Lutheran Church members Jodi Yotter and Leona Dressel

During the post-fire cleanup, one of the items removed from the ashes was the church’s 1,400 pound bronze bell. The bell, originally purchased and installed in the church in 1922, was now badly cracked and ultimately sold for scrap.

American Iron received the bell in 1986 for recycling, but recognizing its uniqueness, kept it in storage rather than scrap it.

Years later, an American Iron employee who was also a member of the Braham church recognized the bell and made the connection.

The church congregation was thrilled to learn that its lost bell was still intact after nearly twenty years and gratefully accepted American Iron’s offer to donate it.

The return of the bell coincides with the church’s 125th anniversary and will be the centerpiece of a planned memorial display.