The iconic 120-year-old bell on Ballard Avenue has stood silently for almost 20 years but this weekend it rang for dozens of Ballardites to hear.

The bell hadn't ran since it was returned to Ballard in 1989 but in honor of Bertha Davis' 97th birthday and the launch of the "Let it Ring" project, the 1,600 pound bell tolled with all its might.

The project, led by the Ballard Historic Society, intends to install an automatic ringer in the Centennial Bell Tower. The group has applied for a Small and Simple grant through the city and is collecting volunteer pledges to fund the project.

Mrs. Bertha Davis, a retired teacher who has taught thousands of Ballardites during her 50 years at Webster School, remembers how the bell used to ring at 6 p.m. every day and has made restoring the bell her mission. For those who have lived in Ballard as many years as Davis has, the bell represents a link between present-day Ballard and its 1889 origins when the bell was housed by the city hall which once stood on Marvin's Garden.

Dozens of people gathered to celebrate the momentous occasion and then celebrated Davis' birthday with a reception at the Ballard Landmark.