The Liberty Bell – The Symbol of American Independence – Philadelphia, PA
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
Related Articles about the History of Philadelphia
- The History of Philadelphia – Historical Philadelphia
- The Independence Visitor’s Center – For Philadelphia History & Philadelphia Attractions
- Betsy Ross House
- Carpenters’ Hall
- Elfreth’s Alley
- Independence Hall – A part of Philadelphia History
- The Liberty Bell – The Symbol of American Independence – Philadelphia, PA
- The National Constitution Center in Philadelphia
- Philadelphia City Hall
Very cool history, Jeff. I’ve been there to visit twice, and it does seem that I get different stories on this each time I go there or read about it. Regardless, it is symbol of freedom.
Debbie Gartner
Debbie, it is just like anything else, especially in today’s age of the internet… where people can search for so much, but how does one determine what is right or wrong… or at times, misleading. I find the stories very interesting and it’s fun to write about it while I research it. Thanks & thanks for stopping by.
Is it true Jeff that we British got blamed for cracking the bell? also when we occupied the city i wonder why we didn’t melt the bell down to make more ammunition?
Scott.. I am not sure. I never heard that the British cracked the bell. Some of it was from the travels, and I listed a few other ways. I don’t think the Bell was ever in the British’s possession, because it was moved around. I guess I’ll have to jump into my time machine and check it out..
Liberty Bell is a remarkable piece of history… I visited Philadelphia in the summer of ’69 as part of a youth group tour of historic sites… I recall the bell sitting in the front window of (I think it was) Constitution Hall, and it was roped off with a Don’t Touch sign… Well, tell a 13 year old boy “Don’t Touch”, and they will almost always “Touch”… That’s what I did, and no one seemed to notice, or care… Wish I had a picture of that moment! Since then, I believe the bell is better protected from pesky hands, but gosh – what a neat memory! Thank you Jeff, for allowing me to travel back in time for that one!!
Patrick, I totally agree 100%, that the Liberty Bell is a great piece of history, and that I even learned a little more prior to writing this article. I love your story… Kind of funny. Yea, tell a 13 yr old boy not to touch something such as the Liberty Bell. The Bell now? It use to be behind a glass case, but now is out in public, but still with a rope around it and a security guard durning normal hours. Thanks for the comment, going back in time.
Thank you so much for your help! we enjoyed our visit to Philadelphia thanks to your recommendations. Everyone should see the Liberty Bell at least once! We can’t wait to return in the summer and spend more time walking the streets of History in Philly
Rosemary,
My pleasure. The City of Philadelphia is such an awesome city, especially in regards the History of Philadelphia…. so enriched with history, the arts, musems, the food, and much more. If coming back a second time, that will give you more time to see more things. Thanks for the polite compliment and for stopping by.
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