‘Defining American Freedom – The Liberty Bell’
Philadelphians are lucky to have the Liberty Bell in Center City Philadelphia, which has been the symbol for American Independence for centuries.
History of the Liberty Bell
The original Bell was founded by William Penn. The city’s bell was used to alert the public to proclamations or civic danger ever since Philadelphia was founded in 1682. As the bell tower was being built in 1751, civic authorities wanted a better bell of quality, so it could be heard from a further distance as the city of Philadelphia grew. So they had the bell built in England and it was delivered in Philadelphia by August of 1752. The bell needed to be tested as they still worked on the bell tower. So the bell was mounted on a bell stand and at the first strike of the clapper, the bell’s rim cracked.
Now with a small crack, Philadelphia authorities tried returning the bell back to England by ship, but the ship master was unable to take it aboard. So two local founders, John Pass and John Stow, offered to recast the bell. The bell was then broken into small pieces, melted down, and then cast into a new bell. The bell was ready in march of 1753, which included the founders names and year. – Pass and Stow 1753 –
To this day, it’s still uncertain on how the bell was cracked. There have been several stories regarding the time frame of the crack which has been said to have taken place between 1817 to 1846. The most common story of the bell being cracked was in 1835, when Chief Justice of the United States John Marshall had passed away. A few of the other stories to how the bell became cracked were that of a few kids that were invited to ring the bell, had cracked it. Or that it became cracked through its travels.
Quick Facts
Did you know that the Liberty Bell didn’t ring on July 4th, 1776. There was no public announcement of the Declaration of Independence, which wasn’t read publicly until July 8th, 1776. In which at this time, many authorities agree that the Liberty Bell was one of the bells that rang on this date.
The Liberty Bell is made up of about 70% copper, about 25% of tin, with small traces of lead, zinc, gold, and silver. And it weighs about 2,000 pounds.
Visitor Details
The Liberty Bell now sits in the Liberty Bell Center which is opened year round, from 9 am until 5 pm. They do have extended summer hours. And it’s free admission, but there is a security check at the front door. For Information : (215) 965-2305
Location
Independence National Historic Park
525 Market St
Philadelphia, PA 19106
Phone
(215) 965-2305
Related Articles about the History of Philadelphia
- The History of Philadelphia – Historical Philadelphia
- The Independence Visitor’s Center – For Philadelphia History & Philadelphia Attractions
- Benjamin Franklin Museum
- Betsy Ross House
- Carpenters’ Hall
- Elfreth’s Alley
- Independence Hall – A part of Philadelphia History
- Independence National Historical Park
- The Liberty Bell – The Symbol of American Independence – Philadelphia, PA
- The National Constitution Center in Philadelphia
- Philadelphia City Hall
Follow Us!