A dedicated researcher, writer, and civic leader, Rose helped preserve the county’s story at a time when rapid development threatened to overshadow its past.

Born in Washington, D.C., and raised in Arlington County, Killgo’s artistic practice explores the complex narratives of changing neighborhoods, with a particular focus on gentrification, displacement, and community resilience. Drawing on personal experience and deep engagement with diverse communities, his work captures the lived realities of the African-American community and other voices often marginalized in discussions about urban change.

The bell—which started ringing in 1893 when the Hume School opened--was produced by the oldest bell foundry in the country, the McShane Bell Foundry of Baltimore. Founded in 1856, McShane has produced more than 300,000 bells for churches, municipal buildings, and schools all over the world.