Where is the Bell?

The early railroad years in Tucker County saw steam-powered locomotives conquering the Blackwater Canyon with a large bell as a fixture on the front of each one. One of these powerful locomotives was Engine No. 8. Engine No. 8 was an engine on the local railway that ran the route from Hendricks to Horton from 1894 - 1929. The bell from this locomotive is the subject of my article here today and is something I'm investigating a bit after finding the video below showing it proudly mounted at the Tucker County Bank for their 75th-anniversary celebration back on June 4th of 1974. The plaque attached to the pedestal that housed the bell from Engine No. 8 told a brief description of the engine and provided information about who donated it, when it was presented, and to who it was presented.

I've never personally seen the bell but the video shows it being there and other locals I've talked to respond usually with "Oh Yeah I remember that bell" but they have no idea why it isn't still there or what became of it. I'm a bit of a history buff and love a mystery so I've been trying to locate the bell for a few days now asking bank employees from Citizens Bank of WV who absorbed the Tucker County Bank back in 1984 if they know of its whereabouts and receiving a no in response. I've only begun my search and it has been suggested that it may have washed away with the 85 floods, been added to a local museum (the historical society will be my next stop), or simply be lost to the pages of time itself.

I will continue to search for and attempt to locate the bell that has piqued my curiosity. If you know what happened to it or have images, information, or a memory of it feel free to comment on this article or get in touch with me on Facebook.