Liberty Bell

Liberty Bell

The Liberty Bell rang out for important events during the Revolutionary War and America's Federal period, but did not acquire its famous name until the 1830's, when it became a symbol for the abolitionist movement.

The Liberty Bell was known as the "Old State House Bell" until 1837, when it was adopted by the American Anti-Slavery Society as a symbol of the abolitionist movement.

The bell rang on July 8, 1776, to summon citizens of Philadelphia to the State House for the first public reading of the Declaration of Independence.

The bell was ordered in 1751 by the Pennsylvania Provincial Assembly for use in the Pennsylvania State House (now known as Independence Hall) in Philadelphia.

The year 1751 was the fiftieth anniversary of William Penn's Charter of Priviledges, which gave certain rights to citizens of the colony of Pennsylvania.

The names Pass and Stow seen on the bell refer to the owners of the metal shop that recast the bell after the original cracked during its first ringing in 1751.

The large crack that runs down the "front" of the bell was not caused by ringing the bell. It is actually an attempt to repair a crack by drilling out the damaged section of the bell so that the two edges of the crack don't rub together.

Location

6th and Chestnut Streets
Philadelphia, Philadelphia County
Pennsylvania, USA

Getting There

The Liberty Bell is located in Independence National Historical Park in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. There are several public transportation options to get there, including:

The Market-Frankford Line (also known as the "Blue Line" or "MFL") stops at 5th Street/Independence Hall, which is just a short walk from the Liberty Bell.

The Broad Street Line (also known as the "Orange Line" or "BSL") stops at City Hall, which is about a 10-15 minute walk from the Liberty Bell.

Several bus routes also serve the area, including the 17, 33, 38, 44, and 48.

For more information on schedules and fares, you can visit the website of the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA).

Nearby Airports

This is a list of primary airports in Pennsylvania that have scheduled passenger service on commercial airlines.