Commissioned by the Pennsylvania Provincial Assembly in 1752, the Liberty Bell has become THE iconic symbol of American Independence. When it first arrived in Philadelphia from London, it was originally hung from a tree behind Independence Hall (later on, it made its way to the lower chamber of the original wooden Bell Tower). It first experienced a crack when it was rung right after arrival in Philadelphia and was twice recast by local workmen, John Pass and John Stow. During its early years, the Bell was used to summon lawmakers to legislative sessions, as well as to alert citizens to public meetings and proclamations. Once American Independence had been secured, the Bell fell into obscurity until the 1830’s when it was adopted as a symbol by abolitionists societies, and thus nicknamed “The Liberty Bell.” It acquired its distinctive large crack in the early 19th century. The Bell became famous after the appearance in 1847 of a short story claiming that an aged bell ringer rang it on July 4, 1776 upon hearing of the Declaration of Independence. The Bell actually never rang that day, but the story was accepted as fact. By 1885, it went on tour to various expositions and political gatherings. Its last such journey was in 1915 when organizers realized folks were trying to chip off souvenir pieces. Following World War II, the National Park Service took custody of the Bell, while the city of Philadelphia retained ownership. Today, its sits in an honored place, in its own building opposite Independence Hall, as part of the Independence National Historic Park.
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