| Vintage July 4th Greetings (1900-1915) |
| The Story of the Liberty Bell |
In 1751, a bell was ordered from the Whitechapel Bell Foundry in England. It was to
be housed in the Pennsylvania State House steeple (now known as Independence
Hall). The bell arrived in 1752, but, as it was being tested, the bell cracked, so it was
melted down and recast by two local craftsmen. When it was finished, the bell's tone
was deemed unsatisfactory, so it was, once again, melted down and recast. In the
summer of 1753, the bell was finally hung, but the tone remained a nettlesome
issue. Ultimately, another bell was ordered from England and arrived in due course.
The original bell, cast at a local foundry, was left in the steeple and the new bell was
placed on the roof of the building, attached to the clock to sound the hours. It's
believed by most historians that it was the bell in the steeple which was used to
summon the people of Philadelphia to gather at the first public reading of the
Declaration of Independence on July 8, 1776.
The bell remained in the steeple and didn't garner much attention for the next 50
years or so, but, in the 1830's, it was adopted as a symbol by abolitionist societies,
and it was these groups who first started calling it the "Liberty Bell." The bell
acquired its distinctive crack some time in the 1800's. The bell didn't become
famous until 1847, when a (not altogether accurate) story concerning its history was
published. The story was widely accepted as fact and the bell was in great demand
for expositions and other occasions. The city of Philadelphia allowed it to travel
extensively until 1915, when it was decided that further requests would be denied
out of concern for the bell's safety.
Other than its adventures on tour, the bell stayed in its home in the steeple of
Independence Hall for over 220 years, until it was moved to a glass pavilion on
Independence Mall in the 1970's and, then, to the adjacent Liberty Bell Center in
2003.
In addition to the names of Pass and Stow (the two local craftsmen who cast the
bell), an excerpt from the 25th Chapter of Leviticus is inscribed: "Proclaim liberty
throughout all the land unto all inhabitants thereof."
be housed in the Pennsylvania State House steeple (now known as Independence
Hall). The bell arrived in 1752, but, as it was being tested, the bell cracked, so it was
melted down and recast by two local craftsmen. When it was finished, the bell's tone
was deemed unsatisfactory, so it was, once again, melted down and recast. In the
summer of 1753, the bell was finally hung, but the tone remained a nettlesome
issue. Ultimately, another bell was ordered from England and arrived in due course.
The original bell, cast at a local foundry, was left in the steeple and the new bell was
placed on the roof of the building, attached to the clock to sound the hours. It's
believed by most historians that it was the bell in the steeple which was used to
summon the people of Philadelphia to gather at the first public reading of the
Declaration of Independence on July 8, 1776.
The bell remained in the steeple and didn't garner much attention for the next 50
years or so, but, in the 1830's, it was adopted as a symbol by abolitionist societies,
and it was these groups who first started calling it the "Liberty Bell." The bell
acquired its distinctive crack some time in the 1800's. The bell didn't become
famous until 1847, when a (not altogether accurate) story concerning its history was
published. The story was widely accepted as fact and the bell was in great demand
for expositions and other occasions. The city of Philadelphia allowed it to travel
extensively until 1915, when it was decided that further requests would be denied
out of concern for the bell's safety.
Other than its adventures on tour, the bell stayed in its home in the steeple of
Independence Hall for over 220 years, until it was moved to a glass pavilion on
Independence Mall in the 1970's and, then, to the adjacent Liberty Bell Center in
2003.
In addition to the names of Pass and Stow (the two local craftsmen who cast the
bell), an excerpt from the 25th Chapter of Leviticus is inscribed: "Proclaim liberty
throughout all the land unto all inhabitants thereof."
| Some say that the term "Uncle Sam" actually came into being on the riverfront of New Orleans, in the very early 1800's. It's believed that the idea came about because of the frequent shipments from New York meat packer, Samuel Wilson, which came through the port. Samuel Wilson supplied meat to the U. S. Army, both within the nation's then-boundaries and in the western territories. The dock workers started saying, "Here comes another load of meat from Uncle Sam," until, eventually, "Uncle Sam" became synonymous with the U.S. Army and, ultimately, with the country. In 1961, the U.S. Congress passed a resolution saluting Samuel Wilson as the progenitor of America's national symbol, Uncle Sam. |
| This & That "[Independence Day] ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires and illuminations, from this time forward forevermore. -- John Adams ~ ~ ~ There is no official designation from the founding fathers explaining the meaning of the U.S.A.'s flag colors, however, folklore brings us George Washington's take on the design: Stars were taken from the sky, red from the British colors, white stripes signified secession from the home country. ~ ~ ~ In 1778, Gen. George Washington marked July 4th with a double ration of rum for his soldiers and an artillery salute. ~ ~ ~ Massachusetts became the first state to recognize July 4th as a state holiday in 1781. ~ ~ ~ Thomas Jefferson and John Adams, the only two signers of the Declaration of Independence who later became presidents, died just hours apart...on Independence Day, July 4th, 1826. ~ ~ ~ Calvin Coolidge is the only president to be born on Independence Day (July 4th, 1872). |
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