Preceden

History of Bells Timeline

(c. 3000 BCE–Present)

The history of bells traces their development from ancient metal instruments used for ritual and communication to their roles in religion, timekeeping, music, industry, and modern technology. Less

Build a timeline like this one in minutes, for free. Start Yours →

Go to: Event List | Key Facts | Directory

Origins and publication

Medford sleigh races inspire a local tradition

1800 - 1899

Previous local-history narratives held that “Jingle Bells” was inspired by Medford's popular sleigh races during the nineteenth century.

Image source: Jingle Bells

Medford sleigh races inspire a local tradition

Medford birthplace plaque commemorates the song

1850

A plaque at 19 High Street in Medford Square, Medford, Massachusetts, commemorates the supposed birthplace of “Jingle Bells.” It claims that Pierpont wrote the song there in 1850 at what was then the Simpson Tavern.

Jingle Bells becomes widely performed

1857

James Lord Pierpont's 1857 composition became one of the most performed and recognizable secular holiday songs ever written, in the United States and around the world.

Boston composition theory is proposed

1857

Researcher Kyna Hamil proposed that the song was composed in Boston before Pierpont moved to Savannah in the fall of 1857.

Pierpont marries Eliza Jane Purse

Aug 1857

In August 1857, James Lord Pierpont married Eliza Jane Purse, the daughter of Savannah's mayor. The marriage connected Pierpont to Savannah shortly before the publication and performance history of “Jingle Bells” unfolded.

The One Horse Open Sleigh is published

Sep 1857

The song was published in September 1857 under the title “The One Horse Open Sleigh,” its original title before the better-known name “Jingle Bells” became established.

First performance at Ordway Hall

Sep 15, 1857

“Jingle Bells” was first performed on September 15, 1857, at Ordway Hall in Boston by Johnny Pell, a blackface minstrel performer.

Pierpont copyrights The One Horse Open Sleigh

Sep 16, 1857

James Lord Pierpont originally copyrighted the song on September 16, 1857, under the title “The One Horse Open Sleigh.”

Jingle Bells is republished under its familiar title

1859

Oliver Ditson and Company republished the song in 1859 from its address at 277 Washington Street in Boston, using the title “Jingle Bells; or, The One Horse Open Sleigh.”

Lyrics and musical variations

The verses retain the original melody

1857

Although modern performances make some minor simplifications, the verses generally preserve the melody used in the 1857 version.

The original chorus differs substantially

1857

The original 1857 version of “Jingle Bells” featured a substantially different chorus from the modern refrain.

The original two stanzas and chorus are published

1857

The two first stanzas and the chorus of the original 1857 lyrics differed slightly from the versions most commonly known today.

The simpler modern refrain appears

1898

The origin of the simpler modern refrain is unknown, but it dates back at least to 1898, when the oldest surviving phonograph recording of the song was released through Edison Records.

Classical orchestras perform stylistic variations

1900 - 1999

The song has accumulated nineteenth- and twentieth-century stylistic variations and is sometimes performed by classical orchestras at Christmas concerts.

Stan Freberg adapts the chorus

1957

A slow version of the chorus opening concludes Stan Freberg's 1957 satire “Green Chri$tma$,” where it is interspersed with cash-register noises.

Joni Mitchell uses the chorus in River

1971

Joni Mitchell's 1971 song “River” begins with a melancholy version of the “Jingle Bells” chorus played on piano.

Early recordings and performances

The first Edison recording is lost

1889

The 1889 Edison-cylinder recording is believed to have been the first Christmas record, but no surviving copy is known.

Will Lyle makes the first known recording

Oct 30, 1889

Banjoist Will Lyle first recorded “Jingle Bells” on October 30, 1889, on an Edison cylinder, as attested by the A. T. E. Wangemann logbook, page 114.

The Edison Male Quartette makes a surviving recording

1898

The Edison Male Quartette made the earliest surviving vocal recording of “Jingle Bells” in 1898 on an Edison cylinder.

Sleigh Ride Party is released

1898

The Edison Male Quartette's 1898 performance appeared as part of a Christmas medley titled “Sleigh Ride Party.” A 1898 Columbia brown-wax recording, numbered 4090, is also associated with the medley.

Jingle Bells becomes a Christmas favorite

1900 - 1920

The song became a Christmas favorite during the early twentieth century, helping establish its enduring association with the holiday season.

The Hayden Quartet records Sleigh Ride Party

1901

The Hayden Quartet recorded a version called “Sleigh Ride Party” in 1901, continuing the song's early recorded presence in Christmas medleys.

The Hayden Quartet records Jingle Bells

1902

In 1902, the Hayden Quartet made a recording specifically titled “Jingle Bells.”

Chart success and adaptations

Benny Goodman reaches the charts

1935

In 1935, Benny Goodman and His Orchestra reached No. 18 on the charts with a swing or big-band recording of “Jingle Bells.”

Glenn Miller records a hit arrangement

1941

In 1941, Glenn Miller and His Orchestra, with Tex Beneke, Marion Hutton, Ernie Caceres, and the Modernaires on vocals, recorded a big-band arrangement for RCA Victor's Bluebird label as 11353-A.

Glenn Miller reaches No. 5

1941

The Glenn Miller recording reached No. 5 on the Billboard pop singles chart in 1941.

Bing Crosby and the Andrews Sisters record the song

1943

Bing Crosby and the Andrews Sisters recorded “Jingle Bells” in 1943 for Decca as record 23281.

Crosby and the Andrews Sisters reach the charts

1943

The 1943 Bing Crosby and Andrews Sisters recording reached No. 19 on the charts and sold more than a million copies.

Les Paul reaches No. 10

1951

Les Paul had a No. 10 hit in 1951 with a multi-tracked guitar version of “Jingle Bells.”

Schirra donates a harmonica to the Smithsonian

1967

In 1967, Schirra donated the harmonica associated with the song to the Smithsonian.

House of Mouse features Jingle Bells

2001

A “House of Mouse” version of “Jingle Bells” appeared in 2001, sung by Wayne Allwine, Russi Taylor, and Bill Farmer.

Kimberley Locke reaches No. 1

2006

In 2006, Kimberley Locke had a No. 1 hit on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart with her recording of “Jingle Bells.”

Build a timeline like this one in minutes, for free. Start Yours →

Key Facts

  1. The earliest known bells appeared in ancient China and the Near East around the third millennium BCE, often made from pottery or metal.
  2. In ancient China, bells served religious, ceremonial, musical, and political purposes, with bronze bells becoming highly sophisticated during the Zhou dynasty.
  3. Early Christian churches adopted bells to call worshippers to services, organize daily life, and mark important events.
  4. The development of cast bronze bells in medieval Europe led to larger church bells, town bells, and systems for marking time.
  5. Today, bells remain important in clocks, schools, ships, ceremonies, music, alarms, and electronic devices.

Source

This History of Bells timeline was generated with the help of AI, using information found on the internet.

We work hard to keep these timelines accurate, but mistakes do get through. If you spot one, email us at [email protected] and we'll fix it for future visitors.

Want a timeline like this one?

Generate yours with AI or build it from scratch, for free.

Try It for Free