Discovering the Icon: Top 9 Fun Facts About the Liberty Bell You Never Knew

1. Crack is Whack

The Liberty Bell – a classic tale of "crack is whack": Though the legendary crack in the illustrious Liberty Bell may have some folks spinning yarns about it tolling for the demise of Chief Justice John Marshall in 1835, there's no hard evidence to back up this tall tale. Instead, the true origin of the bell's iconic fissure remains unknown, making it an even more intriguing attraction for history buffs and mystic enthusiasts alike.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

2. Last Ring of History

Like a relic at an antique shop with an irreversible flaw, cracked under the weight of historic happenings: the Liberty Bell last rang in 1846 for George Washington's birthday, although its notorious crack appeared in previous years, having witnessed monumental events like the signing of the Constitution and bidding farewell to Benjamin Franklin and George Washington.
Source => constitutioncenter.org

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=> Fun Facts about The-Statue-Of-Liberty

3. Cheesesteak Connection

Once upon a cheesesteak in Philly, where the Cheez Whiz flows like the Delaware River: For over 25 years, the Liberty Bell Steak Company has delighted taste buds nationwide by producing high-quality beef and chicken chip steaks, cementing their reputation as the go-to choice for restaurants, distributors, and Philly Cheesesteak aficionados alike.
Source => libertybellsteak.com

4. A Cracked Identity

Rumor has it that the Liberty Bell cracked after just one too many cheesy Philly cheesesteaks: In reality, originally called the State House Bell, it was commissioned from London's Whitechapel Bell Foundry in 1751, cracked during an initial sound test, and was recast by local founders Pass and Stowe before becoming a symbol of national unity and ringing, to the tune of its sister bell at Christ Church, in 1776 to announce the Declaration of Independence.
Source => smithsonianmag.com

5. Abolitionist Naming

You might say the Liberty Bell had an identity crisis, only finding itself in the hands of passionate abolitionists: in reality, it didn't gain its iconic name from the concept of liberty, but rather was dubbed "Liberty Bell" by abolitionists who adopted it as a symbol and connected it to the biblical inscription, "Proclaim Liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof", etched on its surface; before that, it was simply known as the State House Bell or the Old State House Bell.
Source => ushistory.org

6. Franklin's Failed Fix

You know what they say: when life gives you lemons, you crack the Liberty Bell! Benjamin Franklin dabbled in bell-making science and even recommended his special "dewing" process to create the clearest possible ring. But alas, all it took was one big ding during a storm to crack that beauty, and ever since, it's been more of a whistling wind than a proud proclamation: The infamous crack appeared after one notable ringing and created such a challenging feat of 18th-century engineering that the reason for its unexpected damage still remains uncertain to this day.
Source => artsites.ucsc.edu

7. A Crack-astrophe Debut

You know you're having a bad day when your brand new bell cracks on its maiden ring, talk about an alarming debut! The Liberty Bell sure takes the trophy home: it sustained that infamous crack during its very first use on July 8, 1776, to mark the reading of the freshly adopted Declaration of Independence. Today, you can witness this crack-astrophe on display in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and marvel at the iconic fissure up close.
Source => tomlovesthelibertybell.com

8. Silenced Patriot

Before it made cracks in history, it had cracks of its own: The Liberty Bell, cast in 1753 by John Pass and John Stow, originally weighed nearly a ton and was used to summon lawmakers and townspeople before gaining fame for ringing during the first public reading of the Declaration of Independence in 1776. Sadly, its cracks silenced it in 1846, and it's been a quiet patriot ever since.
Source => ranjanmukherjee.com

9. British Origins

Ladies and gentlemen, we have all been bamboozled! The story behind America's most famous cracked pot is quite literally "cracking" up historians left and right: It turns out, the Liberty Bell, that iconic symbol of American independence, was actually made across the pond in London's Whitechapel Foundry in 1752! It was ordered by the Pennsylvania Assembly to celebrate good ol’ William Penn's 1701 Charter of Privileges, and inscribed with a Bible verse that would give any tyrant a run for their money. We can thank Quaker Isaac Norris for not only choosing that verse but also for making sure the bell would "ring" true with Penn's vision of religious freedom, Native American rights, and citizen involvement in the creation of laws.
Source => ushistory.org