Old Post Office

Practice Thursday 7:00–8:30 PM

Please contact our Area Representative before your visit for more information about when and where to meet.

1100 Pennsylvania Ave. NW; Washington, DC 20004The Old Post Office has a ring of 10 bells in the key of D (tenor 26 cwt) that were cast by the Whitechapel Foundry in 1976, installed in 1982, and dedicated in 1983. The bells range in weight from 581 to 2953 pounds. These bells, referred to as The Congress Bells, were a gift to the US Congress from Britain’s Ditchley Foundation to celebrate the bicentennial of American independence.

Ringing visitors are always welcome to attend the Thursday evening practices at the Old Post Office. The ringing during these practices ranges from rounds and call changes to spliced Surprise Major, and occasionally something on all 10 bells, based on the ability level of the assembled ringers.

Between September and May, we occasionally ring quarter peals at the Old Post Office before our Thursday practices. If you would like to be included in one of these attempts, please contact our Area Representative, ideally at least two weeks ahead of your visit, and let us know what you ring and how to contact you. If possible, include information on how to reach you when you're in Washington, in case we need to inform you of a change in ringing plans. We will get back in touch to let you know if there will be a quarter peal in which you can be included.

In addition to the weekly practice sessions, we also ring for the annual Opening of Congress, for Federal holidays (e.g., 4th of July, Columbus Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day), and occasionally for other special events, generally attempting a peal or quarter-peal.

Bells of the Old Post Office Pavilion (OPOT)

Peal List