Liberty Bell
Liberty Bell in Portland, Oregon, is a replica of Philadelphia’s original Liberty Bell. A first replica was purchased in 1962 and installed in the courthouse rotunda in 1964, but it was destroyed in a bombing that also damaged the building’s east portico. A second replica was then installed outside City Hall shortly after the explosion, around 1972, using funds from private donations. The bell was made at McShane Foundry in Baltimore and dedicated on an unspecified date. It is listed as a state veterans memorial by the Oregon Department of Veterans’ Affairs.
February 2012 © Another Believer · CC BY-SA 3.0
© Another Believer · CC BY-SA 3.0
June 2020 © Ted Timmons · CC BY-SA 4.0
© Another Believer · CC BY-SA 3.0
February 2012 © Another Believer · CC BY-SA 3.0
Identification | |
| Title | Liberty Bell |
| Type | Replica of the original Liberty Bell in Philadelphia |
| Subject | Replicas of Philadelphia's original Liberty Bell in Portland |
| Number of replicas in Portland | Two |
| Alternative name | Cloche de la Liberté |
Historical context | |
| Destruction of first replica | November 21, 1970, by a dynamite bomb placed beneath the bell and detonated |
| Replacement context of second replica | Purchased after the first replica was destroyed |
| Funding for second replica | Private donations totaling $8,000 |
| Purchase price of second replica | $6,000 |
| Speculation about bombing | In 1993, The Oregonian described the crime as 'wild' and reported speculation that it may have been carried out by left-wing or right-wing terrorists, or that it was a prank that got out of control |
| Investigation status | Unsolved; no one claimed responsibility or was prosecuted |
| Casualties from bombing | No one was injured |
| Damage from bombing | Damaged the east portico columns of City Hall, broke windows, and destroyed the replica; bell fragments were scattered through the area |
| Dedication of second replica | November 6, 1975 |
| Original installation location of first replica | Rotunda of Portland City Hall |
| Repair and early display of first replica | Repaired before being paraded through downtown on a flatbed truck and stored until Independence Day, when it was first publicly displayed and rung |
| Condition on arrival of first replica | Arrived with a damaged base and the beam displaced from its supports |
| Arrival in Portland of first replica | June 1963 |
| Warranty of first replica | 25-year warranty against breakage |
| Manufacturer of first replica | McShane Bell Foundry, Baltimore |
| Purchase price of first replica | $8,000 |
| Purchase date of first replica | June 1962 |
| Installation of first replica | May 5, 1964 |
Creator | |
| Foundry | McShane Bell Foundry, Baltimore |
Discovery and provenance | |
| Acquisition method of second replica | Purchased through private donations |
| Dedication source of second replica | Described as a gift from residents of Philadelphia to the students of Portland |
| Dedication source of second replica | Also attributed as a gift from Philadelphians to Portland schoolchildren |
Physical characteristics | |
| Mounting | Fixed to a horizontal beam supported by two V-shaped beams |
| Base materials | Brick, steel, and wood with mahogany covering |
| Dimensions | Approximately 1.7 × 1.6 × 1.7 m (66 × 64 × 66 in.) |
| Base dimensions | Approximately 0.33 × 1.93 × 1.38 m (13 × 76 × 54.5 in.) |
| Weight | 1 ton |
Materials | |
| Material | Best Genuine Bell Metal, a 16% copper alloy |
Appearance | |
| West side inscription | Pass and Stow / Philada / MDCCLIII |
| Top inscription | PROCLAIM LIBERTY THROUGHOUT ALL THE LAND UNTO ALL THE INHABITANTS THEREOF LEV. XX VVX. / BY ORDER OF THE ASSEMBLY OF THE PROVINCE OF PENNSYLVANIA FOR THE STATE HOUSE IN PHILADA. |
| Founder’s mark | Present |
Iconography and meaning | |
| Classification | Allegorical sculpture symbolizing liberty |
Location and ownership | |
| Location | Portland, Oregon, United States |
| Original location of second replica | Rotunda of Portland City Hall |
| Current location of second replica | Outside the east portico of Portland City Hall, near the intersection of Southwest Fourth and Madison streets, opposite Terry Schrunk Plaza |
| Registry status | Listed as a state veterans memorial by the Oregon Department of Veterans' Affairs |
History and restoration | |
| Condition assessment | In October 1993, the Smithsonian Institution's Save Outdoor Sculpture! program assessed it as needing treatment |
Significance | |
| Tour inclusion | Included in published Portland walking tours |