The Liberty Bell Replica
Liberty's Liberty Bell, cast in 1960 by WhiteChapel Bell Foundy, LTD., in London, England, is the first true replica of the original Liberty bell as it was cast by WhiteChapel Bell Foundary for the Province of Pennsylvania in 1752, being shaped by the original strickle and using the same moulding pit and methods which were employed in casting the original Liberty Bell. Liberty's Liberty Bell was created to serve as a symbol of the Liberty Muscular Dystrophy Foundation. Liberty's Bell is made of an alloy of 77% pure copper and 23% tin. It is 47 inches in diameter at its mouth and weighs 2,016 pounds. The fittings and wheel are replicas of the original found in Philadelphia.
The Liberty Bell replica was brought to Texas aboard the steamship, Letitia Lykes, through the courtesy of the Lykes Steamship Company and was unveiled at the Manchester Terminal Dock of the Port of Houston in a public ceremony on August 19, 1960, led by Roy H. Cullen and Claud B. Hamill of Houston, co-chairmen of the Liberty Foundation. It was formally dedicated to Sallie and Nadine Woods in a public ceremony held on the courthouse square in Liberty, Texas on September 13, 1960, in recognition of their pioneering efforts in establishing the first organized effort to promote research on the cause and cure of muscular dystrophy. Lloyd Gregory, retired Houston advertising and public relations executive, was master of ceremonies for this occasion and the late Wright Morrow of Houston, former Democratic National Committeeman, delivered the principal address.
The staging of the bell for ringing on that day was under the supervision of Earl C. Downey, board member of Houston. It was rung on that occasion by movie actor John Wayne, who tolled it 16 times. In the years following, the bell has been used as a symbol for the Liberty Muscular Dystrophy Research Foundation, Inc. Acting on the unanimous vote of the board of directors of the Foundation, Ben Rogers of Beaumont, president, formally delivered custody and control of this bell to Sallie and Nadine Woods on July, 1971, with authority to make permanent placement thereof as they deemed best. They agreed for it to be displayed permanently at the Humphreys Cultural Center in Liberty, Texas.
The Bell Tower was demolished in the spring of 2009 because of structural problems and design plans for a new bell tower are being developed.
The Liberty Rotary Club is selling concrete Liberty Bells for $300 to be delivered to any home or business near Liberty, Texas. Half of the proceeds go to the Rotary Club for a world wide project and the other half of the funds will go towards the construction of a new Liberty Bell Tower on the grounds of the Humphreys Cultural Center.
The bell is currently housed in the foyer of the Liberty Municipal Library located at 1710 Sam Houston Ave., Liberty, Texas.
| Bill Buchanan and Tumbleweed Smith in front of the Liberty Bell |
