By Ronald Marvin, Jr., Director and Curator of the Wyandot County Historical Society – written for the America 250-Ohio Commission.
An American Icon
The iconic Liberty Bell on display near Independence Hall in Philadelphia has long been a symbol of America and American Independence, much like the American Bald Eagle and the Stars and Stripes. In the early 18th century when it was made, bells were rung to communicate important news. It was probably rung on July 8, 1776, to gather Philadelphians to hear the first public reading of the Declaration of Independence.
It would be decades later before the Liberty Bell and its famous crack became a symbol to promote a wide variety of uniquely American causes including abolition, civil rights and even American Independence itself. While the Liberty Bell is closely associated with Philadelphia, Ohioans might be surprised to learn that the Bell has traveled long distances, including several trips to the Buckeye State.
“Proclaim LIBERTY Throughout all the Land unto all the Inhabitants Thereof”.
Commissioned by the Pennsylvania Provincial Assembly in 1752 and inscribed with these words that would come to mean so much to millions over the years. It was installed at what would become Independence Hall.
The Liberty Bell was first moved in 1777 to keep it safe during the early days of the American Revolution. After America’s Independence was secured, it was not regarded with any special favor. However in the 1830’s it took on its name of Liberty Bell as abolitionists adopted it as a symbol of liberty.
It acquired its distinctive large crack sometime in the first half of the 19th century. Even so, the Liberty Bell traveled to various world fairs as well as national and international expositions, mostly along the east coast.
1893-World’s Columbian Exposition, Chicago, Illinois
The first time the Bell visited Ohio was in 1893 on its way to the Chicago World’s Fair aka the World’s Columbian Exposition. It left Philadelphia on the morning of April 25th arriving in Ohio the following day. There were several scheduled and unscheduled stops along the route including Alliance, Cleveland, Columbus, and Crestline as well as numerous smaller towns on the 27th and 28th. It arrived in Chicago on April 29.
Following the closure of the exposition on October 30th, the Bell began its return trip to Philadelphia arriving in southern Ohio on November 1. Again, numerous stops were scheduled including Dayton, Xenia, and Waynesfield. An unscheduled trip to the Dayton Soldiers and Sailors Home caused a minor delay. That evening it arrived in Cincinnati. Following a ceremony the following morning, it traveled on to Columbus and into Pennsylvania before finally arriving home in Philadelphia.
Prior to the original Liberty Bell leaving Philadelphia, a replica was hung in Carpenter’s Hall to keep up the appearance. Confusing matters was a replica “Columbian Liberty Bell” that was cast in Troy, New York to be rung as part of the Chicago World’s Fair celebration on July 4. This meant that there were at least three Liberty Bells traveling and on display in 1893. The Columbian Bell followed part of the original bell’s route through Ohio on its way west. On its way east to Washington, D.C. in November and December 1893, it passed through Ohio towns such as Bryan and Cleveland.
1904 – Louisiana Purchase Exposition
The next time the true Liberty Bell visited Ohio was in 1904 as it passed through on its way to the St. Louis World’s Fair, formally known as the Louisiana Purchase Exposition. It left Pennsylvania on June 3rd and arrived in northern Ohio the following day with numerous stops scheduled including Ashtabula, Cleveland, Sandusky, Toledo, and Wauseon. According to The Cleveland Leader (Cleveland, Ohio) the Liberty Bell was displayed alongside an original copy of the Declaration of Independence at Union Depot. In Sandusky, it was met with a 21-gun salute fired by US Naval Reserves onboard the USS Hawk, which was anchored nearby. The Liberty Bell arrived in St. Louis on June 7th and was on display until November 16th, when it began its journey home.
The Bell arrived in southern Ohio from Indiana on November 18. The published schedule for the 18th and 19th included stops in the towns of Dayton, Xenia, South Charleston, London, Columbus, Dennison, and Steubenville before departing into Pennsylvania. Numerous train routes including the Pennsylvania Railroad, Lake Shore Railroad, and Pan Handle Railroad were utilized as the planners did not want to disrupt established train routes. The train carrying the Liberty Bell arrived home in Philadelphia late on the 19th and it did not travel again for several years.
1915 – Panama-Pacific International Exposition
The Liberty Bell took a trip known as “The Great Cross-County Trip” in 1915.
Spurred on by a petition signed by 500,000 California school children, the Bell traveled to San Francisco for the Panama-Pacific International Exposition. It left Philadelphia on July 5 and traveled through parts of 15 states, including northern Ohio, prior to arriving at its destination. Its first official stop was scheduled for Mansfield on July 6. The Liberty Bell stopped in several towns including Bucyrus, Upper Sandusky, Lima, Ada, and Van Wert as well as passing through numerous smaller towns along the track. Newspaper accounts recall people lining the tracks to catch a brief glimpse of the Bell as it passed through. After several days of travel, it finally arrived in California.
On November 11, the Bell was moved to San Diego for the Panama-Californian Exposition where it was displayed for four days. On the 16th, it began its trek home for the final time passing through parts of sixteen states, including southern Ohio. The Bell arrived in Cincinnati from Kentucky on the afternoon of November 22. Again, the train carrying the Liberty Bell took a winding route through the state, stopping in towns such as Hamilton, Xenia, Dayton, Columbus, and Cleveland while passing through many smaller communities. The Bell arrived back in Philadelphia on December 2nd. Other than being moved into the Liberty Bell Pavilions in 1976 and 2003, it has remained in the city.
Later Attempts to Lure the Bell to Travel Once More
Despite numerous requests for the Liberty Bell again, the city fathers have denied all travel requests due to the damage the Bell experienced during its previous trips. In fact, an estimated 2% of it was believed chipped off and sold as souvenirs in the early 1900s.
A Replica Comes to the Ohio Statehouse to Inspire Countless Visitors
In an effort to quench the nation’s desire to see the Liberty Bell, a series of 55 replicas were commissioned by the United States Treasury Department and cast in France before being distributed to the states and territories in 1950. Ohio’s Bell (number 23 in the series) is currently on display in the Ohio Statehouse. As we look forward to the 250th Anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, it is with pride and honor that Ohio can boast of hosting the original Liberty Bell multiple times.
Biography of Ronald Marvin, Jr.
Ronald Marvin, Jr. grew up in and resides in Kenton. He works as the Director of the Wyandot County Historical Society in Upper Sandusky, where he has worked since 2011. He holds a Bachelor of Arts (History and Anthropology) from the University of South Dakota and a Master of Arts (Museum Studies) from the University of Nebraska. He has written several local history books and articles since returning to Ohio in 2010. Among his numerous roles, he currently serves as the First Vice-President of the Ohio Local History Alliance, a Board Member for the Small Museum Association, Civil War Memorials Officer for the Department of Ohio, Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War, and Indian Mill Liaison with the Ohio History Connection.
Previously, Marvin served in the United States Army and participated in Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm. He has nearly 40 years in the museum/cultural heritage field, having worked as a volunteer, intern, or paid staff at sites in Ohio, South Dakota, Nebraska, Pennsylvania, and Maryland. He also worked as a professional archaeologist for the National Park Service’s Midwest Archaeological Center with field experience in South Dakota, Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas, Colorado, Minnesota, and Arkansas.