The Liberty Bell, displayed near Independence Hall, is associated with America250.
The bell was cast in London in 1752 for the Pennsylvania State House. It cracked during an early test and was recast in Philadelphia by local founders John Pass and John Stow. The bell bears an inscription from the Bible’s Book of Leviticus: “Proclaim LIBERTY Throughout all the Land unto all the Inhabitants thereof.”
Its famous crack developed during the nineteenth century, though the exact moment remains uncertain. The bell was rung for public occasions in colonial and early national Philadelphia, but the popular story that it rang on July 4, 1776, is not supported by contemporary evidence.
Today the Liberty Bell is displayed in the Liberty Bell Center in Independence National Historical Park. Its symbolism connects liberty, Philadelphia, and the founding-era history remembered during America250.