COMMITTEE MEMBERS BREAK GROUND -- Members of Berne's Muensterberg Plaza and Clock Tower steering committee break ground Wednesday, March 17, 2010, to begin construction of the long-awaited clock tower and adjoining plaza. Work will begin soon near the intersection of state Route 218 and U.S. 27 in Berne, with a dedication ceremony set for July 31, 2010, during this year's Swiss Days celebration. The clock tower will stand nearly 160 feet high and will include four large clock faces and animated fiberglass figurines that will emerge to perform a reenactment of scenes from the settlement of the city. The all-volunteer steering committee worked five years to secure $3 million dollars in private pledges to construct the clock tower and plaza.
BOYHOOD MEMORIES OF BERNE: FORMER RESIDENT COMMENTS ON THE CLOCK TOWER -- I have many memories of Berne from the days of my youth. Growing up in Berne was a very positive experience, and I am thankful for the parents of my friends, the school teachers, coaches, Sunday school teachers, and for members of my own family. All of these people played a part in my development.
Berne was, and probably still is, a community that cares and shares. My entire family and I returned to Berne for Swiss Days and Berne’s 150th anniversary, and my children and grandchildren, and even my wife, learned a lot about my youth that I had forgotten or simply neglected to tell them.
In reflection, it is clear that I have been blessed to have grown up in Berne’s Swiss Community.
My wife, Carol, and I are happy to contribute to the clock tower and plaza project. It is our way of saying “Thank You” to a community, past, present, and future, that loves to share and care for others.
Submitted by Tom Ehrsam
December 18, 2009
CONSTRUCTION SET TO BEGIN -- Plans are now in place for the construction of the long-anticipated Muensterberg plaza and clock tower. Limberlost Construction Inc. will serve as the general contractor for the project, which will begin this spring. Dedication of the clock tower is set for July 31, 2010, during Berne's annual Swiss Days celebration.
December 18, 2009
CLOCK TOWER CONSTRUCTION SET FOR SPRING -- Signing the clock tower contracts to authorize the start of construction, seated from left, are Berne Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Connie Potter, CDC President Dave Baumgartner, and Limberlost Construction Project Manager Mike Schwartz. Standing from left are Steering Committee Co-Chairman Jim Beitler, CDC Treasurer Gwen Maller, CDC Board Member Charles Isch, and Steering Committee Co-Chairman Roger Muselman.
IN SUPPORT OF THE BERNE PLAZA AND CLOCK TOWER -- As years pass, and especially for those of us living at some distance, it becomes apparent how important our hometown experiences and role models were. Teachers, coaches, uncles, aunts, church youth leaders, and employers helped shape us. Of course, for me, my mother, brother Kenyon, and grandparents were also influential in helping me achieve some successes in a world unlike Berne. Thus, it is a pleasure to contribute to the clock tower.
FORMER RESIDENT CONTRIBUTES -- Diann (Habegger) Yoder and her husband, Alan, are among the growing list of nonresidents that have contributed to Berne’s Muensterberg Plaza and Clock Tower project.
Mrs. Yoder grew up in Berne, the daughter of Milo (Mike) and Inez (Luginbill) Habegger. Milo and his three brothers, Pete, Sylvan and Clinton, were the original owners of Habegger Furniture.
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WPTA TV Interview
The Muensterberg Plaza and Clock Tower was featured in a news segment on a Fort Wayne, Ind., television station on June 6, 2005.
Eric Olson, producer of a WPTA TV feature called "21 Country," heard about Berne's plan to build a replica of the famous Bern, Switzerland clock tower, and called to request an interview with members of the project's steering committee. The station has granted its permission to include the interview on our Web site.
Berne honors its ancestry and highlights its heritage -- Situated in the heart of Northeast Indiana's fertile farmland is the Swiss community of Berne, Ind.
Known for its hospitality and strong sense of community, Berne is home to a rich Swiss heritage. The town was founded in 1852 by Mennonite immigrants, and many of its storefronts depict Old World Alpine designs, giving testimony to the ongoing pride its residents feel toward their ancestry and heritage.
CONTRIBUTING TO THE CLOCK TOWER -- Marilyn Beaverson of Fishers, Ind., and her husband, Roger, are among the growing list of nonresidents to contribute to the Muensterberg Plaza and Clock Tower project. Mrs. Beaverson grew up in Berne, the daughter of Milo (Mike) and Inez (Luginbill) Habegger. Milo and his three brothers, Pete, Sylvan and Clinton, were the original owners of Habegger Furniture. Marilyn's grandfather, Peter Habegger, came to America from Switzerland, settled in Berne and taught his children and grandchildren the language and customs of his ancestral home. "The Swiss are hard-working, industrious people who take pride in their work, and I think people in Berne are the same way," said Mrs. Beaverson. "I contributed to the clock tower project because I think it will be an exciting attraction for Berne that will generate business and tourism. I also wanted to contribute in memory of my parents, and I'm anxious to come to Berne and visit once the clock tower is built."
MOVING TO MAKE ROOM -- This large, two-story house made news in Berne, Ind., on Wednesday, March 25, 2009, when it was lifted from its foundation at the corner of Water and Harrison streets and moved several blocks to an empty lot on North Sprunger Street in Berne. Merkle Heavy Moving Inc. of Ohio City, Ohio, orchestrated and executed the move, designed to make room at the intersection of state Route 218 and U.S. 27 for future construction of the Berne Community Development Corporation’s Muensterberg Plaza and clock tower project. The project is in its final fundraising phase, with more than $2 million dollars pledged toward the $2,600,000 project.
NEW CURB FOR THE CLOCK TOWER -- Workers are shown installing a new curb along U.S. 27 in Berne at the future site of the Muensterberg plaza and clock tower. With the closing of State Street and the removal of the former Shell gas station, the new curbing was needed to meet state right-of-way regulations.
March 20, 2007
Two towns -- one dream: A goal to grow the economy By Nancy Brown
The Muensterberg Plaza and Clock Tower project encompasses an aggressive goal to grow the economy of Berne. When the clock tower is completed, it will immediately provide a landmark that will serve as the focal point for tourism and economic growth.
Paul Zuercher, clock tower steering committee member and co-chairman of the individual gifts division for the project, recently learned of another small American town that has successfully capitalized on an economic vision through tourism. The story of the rebirth of Leavenworth, Wash., began in the 1960s. Today the town is host to more than a million visitors a year and is known as Washington's Bavarian Village.
