Storke Tower

Storke Tower from the point of view of the UCen

Storke Plaza pond, with koi and water lilies in a partially self-sustaining aquatic ecosystem

Storke Tower is a landmark campanile (bell and clock tower) located on the campus of the University of California, Santa Barbara in the United States. Dedicated for use on September 28, 1969, the 61-bell carillon tower stands 175 ft (53 m) tall.

Structure

The bells range in size from 13 to 4,793 pounds, with the largest bell carrying the university seal and university motto. Other bells carry quotes and dedications, including "The University is not engaged in making ideas safe for students. It is engaged in making students safe for ideas" (Clark Kerr) and "These bells ring for the freedom of the press and in tribute to Editor-Publisher Thomas More Storke, whose affection for the University made this building possible."^[1] The tower has been affectionately known as "Storke's last erection" by students, reflecting both its unique profile and Thomas Storke's age at the time of its construction.^{[2][3][4][5][6][7]}

At every hour, an electronic control system plays the Westminster Quarters. The system also strikes a sequence at 10 minutes to every hour which spells out the University motto, "Let There Be Light" (with each of the 10 largest bells assigned a letter of the alphabet). The carillon suffered technical difficulties from 1994 to 1999, in 2004,^[8][9] and again in 2007.^[10][11]

Storke Tower is the tallest steel/cement structure in Santa Barbara County.^[12]

History and use

The architects were Clark and Morgan.^[13] The tower is named for Thomas M. Storke, a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and U.S. senator who resided in Santa Barbara and helped found UCSB. He also contributed funds to the building of the tower and the Storke Communications Plaza, which is situated at the base of the tower.^[14]

The Plaza houses the university paper (the Daily Nexus), the radio station (KCSB-FM), and the yearbook office (La Cumbre Yearbook); the top of the tower supports cell phone signal transmitters and a KCSB radio antenna.^[15] The open-air area of the Plaza contains a large rectangular pond that functioned as a reflecting pool until 2003, when it was transformed into a cost-saving and partially self-sustaining aquatic ecosystem^[16] including koi and water lilies.^[17]

There have been occasional carillon recitals^[18] and courses in how to play the carillon.^[19] The tower has also been part of performance art projects.^[20]

Until Spring of 2005, UC Santa Barbara ROTC Cadets used Storke Tower for Mountaineering Training, rapelling down the tower as a culmination exercise. This practice was discontinued by campus administrators for liability reasons citing student safety and ROTC policies prohibiting the physically disabled from participating in the exercise.

References

1. "A Towering Anniversary", UC Santa Barbara Today (last page), Summer 2009
2. Umlautski, Stan (April 2, 2007). "Tower May Ring But It’s No Ding-a-Ling". The Daily Nexus (University of California, Santa Barbara). Retrieved February 21, 2014.
3. P J Evans (March 9, 2006). "The post with the most". #18. Making Light blog. Retrieved February 21, 2014.
4. fireflies100k (2004-09-27). "berkeley co-op stories: Big C Circus". Mitt liv som Tobin blog. Retrieved February 21, 2014.
5. AlwaysAGaucho (December 7, 2011). "UCSB Gauchos, Gaucho Sports Talk, Who is the next MBB Legend of the Dome?". #3. Gaucho Locos blog. Retrieved February 21, 2014.
6. Tengrain (April 27, 2013). "Bad Signs, cont.". Mock Paper Scissors blog. Retrieved February 21, 2014.
7. Rosemary Einolander. "Stork's [sic] last erection and really cool clouds". UCSB for the homesick girl. photobucket. Retrieved February 21, 2014.
8. "For Whom Storke Tower Tolls", Daily Nexus, February 4, 2004
9. "Repairs Have Bells Ringing A Proper Tune", Daily Nexus, May 28, 2004
10. "Breakdown of Bell Timer Remains Unexplained", Daily Nexus, November 20, 2007
11. "Bells Bounce Back From Brief Break", Daily Nexus, November 29, 2007
12. "CARPING ABOUT VENOCO", Santa Barbara Independent, April 27, 2006
13. Photo of Storke Tower, Atkinson Photographic Archive
14. "Storke Tower celebrates 40th birthday", Santa Maria Times, February 24, 2009
15. "Lightning Strikes Station Antenna", Daily Nexus, February 22, 2006
16. "New Pond Grows On UCSB", Daily Nexus, October 21, 2003
17. "Pond Fish Stay Alive, Healthy in Storke Plaza", Daily Nexus, January 12, 2004
18. "Guest To Play Storke Bells", Daily Nexus, October 17, 2008
19. "Fall Quarter To Ring In New Bell Class", Daily Nexus, May 19, 2008
20. "Feature Photo", Daily Nexus, November 18, 2002

External links

• Information about Storke Tower on the UCSB Library website, from August 1999, courtesy of the Internet Archive.
• Photos of a tour of Storke Tower in March 2009, including the carillon's keyboard.
• Historical photos from UCSB Photo Services: Storke Tower under construction, Bells before installation, Worker inside the tower.
• A performance of "Still Alive" on the UCSB Carillon, Jonathan Coulton's blog, June 23, 2008.

Coordinates: 34°24′45″N 119°50′54″W / 34.41260°N 119.84825°W