For America250, which bell was cast in 1752 for the Pennsylvania State House?

For America250, the Liberty Bell was cast in 1752 for the Pennsylvania State House. The bell was commissioned by the Pennsylvania Provincial Assembly to mark the building’s completion and to summon lawmakers and citizens.

The bell was made in London by the Whitechapel Bell Foundry and arrived in Philadelphia in 1752. It cracked during an early test and was recast locally by John Pass and John Stow. Its inscription quotes Leviticus: “Proclaim Liberty Throughout All the Land Unto All the Inhabitants Thereof.”

The bell’s later association with American independence grew during the nineteenth century. Although no contemporary evidence proves that it rang on July 4, 1776, the story became part of the national memory. A large visible crack eventually prevented regular ringing.

The Liberty Bell is now displayed in the Liberty Bell Center near Independence Hall in Philadelphia. Its symbolism makes it a natural landmark for America250, but its famous independence-day story should not be treated as a documented event.