Liberty Bell

                A bell for the Pennsylvania State House was cast in London, England, however, it cracked soon after it arrived in Philadelphia.  Local craftsman John Pass and John Stow cast a new bell in 1753, using metal from the English bell.  Their names appear on the front of the bell, along with the city and the date.

                 By 1846 a thin crack began to affect the sound of the bell.  The bell was repaired in 1846 and rang for a George Washington birthday celebration, but the bell cracked again and has not been rung since.  No one knows why the bell cracked either time.

                  The bell weighs about 200 pounds. Its is made of 70% copper 25% tin, and small amounts of lead, zinc, arsenic, gold, and silver.  It hangs from what is believed to be its original yoke, made from American elm, also known as slipper elm.