Illinois Freedom Bell
Encyclopedia
The Illinois Freedom Bell is located in Mount Morris, Illinois
, United States, and is the official freedom bell of the U.S. state of Illinois
. The bell was created for a church in Lake Geneva
, Wisconsin
as a replica of the Liberty Bell
in 1862. In 1910, while it was being moved across the frozen Geneva Lake
following a fire at the church, the ice cracked and the bell sank to the bottom of the lake. It was salvage
d in 1960 and the village of Mount Morris acquired it in 1966. The Illinois Freedom Bell is rung during the annual Let Freedom Ring festival, and it can be found beneath a gazebo
on the village square. The bell has been credited with starting an Independence Day
bell-ringing tradition across the United States. The bell was designated the official Illinois Freedom Bell in 1971.
The Illinois Freedom Bell is located in Mount Morris, Illinois
, and was cast as a replica of the Liberty Bell in 1862. Following its casting, the bell was transported to Lake Geneva
, Wisconsin
, where it was kept in the belfry
of a church along the north shore of Geneva Lake
. In 1910, the church was destroyed by a fire; the bell fell during the fire but was undamaged; following the fire, the bell was put into storage. The church members then decided to reconstruct the church on the south side of the lake. During the winter, as a group of men attempted to drag the bell across the frozen lake, the weight of the bell cracked the ice and it sank to the bottom.
The bell remained submerged for over 40 years before a wealthy resident of Lake Geneva decided to surface the bell in 1960. The resident located the bell, and surfaced it with great difficulty, intent on making the future Illinois Freedom Bell the focal point of his new home. After the bell was salvaged he decided it did not suit his purposes. A young farmer from Johnsburg
purchased the bell, and it was again kept in storage.
In 1966, an article was published about the bell's submersion and resurfacing at Geneva Lake. The article interested the people of Mount Morris, Illinois, and they sent 12 members of their Fourth of July Committee to investigate the bell in Johnsburg. The people of Mount Morris decided to purchase the bell; a committee was formed and obtained a loan from the Mount Morris VFW
. The group also collected donations from local residents to purchase the bell for US$
500. By July 4, 1966, the Illinois Freedom Bell hung from the gazebo in its current location, and the two writers who first suggested bell ringing as an annual Independence Day ceremony, Eric Hatch
and Eric Sloane
were on hand for its dedication.
Five years later, in 1971, the bell was designated the Official Freedom Bell of the State of Illinois by Illinois Governor
Richard B. Ogilvie
. A plaque was added to the tower on July 4, 1972 with an inscription from Governor Ogilvie that reads:
writers, Eric Hatch and Eric Sloane. In the article, they suggested that every July 4, all bells in the country ring for four minutes, and radio stations broadcast the ringing for two minutes. Readers across the country took the advice of the magazine's editor, and contacted local officials in support of a nationwide bell-ringing observance. Concurrently, a resolution was proposed in Congress by Connecticut Senator Abraham Ribicoff that called for the ringing of bells nationwide at 2 p.m every July 4. Eastern Daylight Time. The bill passed both the Senate
and House of Representatives later that year.
Meanwhile, the village of Mount Morris had already decided to hold their own bell-ringing during the village's annual Independence Day festival, the "Let Freedom Ring". Subsequently, on April 30, 1963 Illinois native and rising Republican
political star Ronald Reagan
visited Mount Morris to dedicate the first Mount Morris freedom bell, which now hangs at the Veterans' Memorial Fountain. The first freedom bell was a small 16 inch (40.6 cm) bell. Later, as U.S. President in 1984, Reagan was presented with a replica of the official Illinois Freedom Bell in the Oval Office by U.S. Representative Lynn Morley Martin
. The first national bell-ringing took place on July 4, 1963; Mount Morris also participated in that ringing. Even though many states sponsored bell-ringings, Hatch and Sloane both credited Mount Morris with making their suggestion a reality.
The Illinois Freedom Bell is annually rung in unison, at 1 pm CDT (6 pm UTC) on the Independence Day, July 4, with other bells across the United States. Thousands of people gather in the village to hear the bell each year on Independence Day. In Mount Morris, the annual event is known as the Let Freedom Ring festival. The Mount Morris festival and bell ringing has been attended by several notable individuals. In 1973, future Illinois Governor and member of the 9/11 Commission
, James Thompson
attended the festival and bell ringing. A year later, in 1974, Richard Blake, a noted Abraham Lincoln
impersonator, appeared at the festival to speak as Lincoln.
Several times the Let Freedom Ring festival has been broadcast nationally. During the 1964 festival, Governor Otto Kerner
was the speaker at the bell-ringing observance, and his address was transmitted via telephone to the Illinois pavilion at the 1964 New York World's Fair
. The 1965 bell-ringing was broadcast over the public address system at Wrigley Field
in Chicago
. Over the years, the committee for the festival requested that the bell-ringing be part of the Illinois Sesquicentennial, the U.S. Bicentennial, and the Statue of Liberty Centennial celebrations, all of which were allowed. The "Let Freedom Ring" celebration hosts a "Freedom Run", arts and crafts, a parade, a fireworks display, and the highlighted ringing of the Illinois Freedom Bell.
metal. It is four feet (1.2 m) tall and four feet (1.2 m) wide with a weight of 1,500 pounds (680 kg). The bell is housed in a 15 foot wooden "tower," which stands in a prominent position on the town square.
Mount Morris, Illinois
Mount Morris is a village in Mount Morris Township, Ogle County, Illinois, United States. The population was 2,998 at the 2010 census, down from 3,013 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Mount Morris is located at ....
, United States, and is the official freedom bell of the U.S. state of Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
. The bell was created for a church in Lake Geneva
Lake Geneva, Wisconsin
Lake Geneva is a city in Walworth County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 7,148 at the 2000 census. A resort city located on Geneva Lake, it is southwest of Milwaukee and popular with tourists from metropolitan Chicago and Milwaukee.-History:...
, Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
as a replica of the Liberty Bell
Liberty Bell
The Liberty Bell is an iconic symbol of American Independence, located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Formerly placed in the steeple of the Pennsylvania State House , the bell was commissioned from the London firm of Lester and Pack in 1752, and was cast with the lettering "Proclaim LIBERTY...
in 1862. In 1910, while it was being moved across the frozen Geneva Lake
Geneva Lake
Geneva Lake is a body of freshwater in southeastern Wisconsin in Walworth county. On its shores are the city of Lake Geneva, and the villages of Fontana-on-Geneva-Lake, and Williams Bay....
following a fire at the church, the ice cracked and the bell sank to the bottom of the lake. It was salvage
Marine salvage
Marine salvage is the process of rescuing a ship, its cargo, or other property from peril. Salvage encompasses rescue towing, refloating a sunken or grounded vessel, or patching or repairing a ship...
d in 1960 and the village of Mount Morris acquired it in 1966. The Illinois Freedom Bell is rung during the annual Let Freedom Ring festival, and it can be found beneath a gazebo
Gazebo
A gazebo is a pavilion structure, sometimes octagonal, that may be built, in parks, gardens, and spacious public areas. Gazebos are freestanding or attached to a garden wall, roofed, and open on all sides; they provide shade, shelter, ornamental features in a landscape, and a place to rest...
on the village square. The bell has been credited with starting an Independence Day
Independence Day (United States)
Independence Day, commonly known as the Fourth of July, is a federal holiday in the United States commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, declaring independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain...
bell-ringing tradition across the United States. The bell was designated the official Illinois Freedom Bell in 1971.
Origin
Mount Morris, Illinois
Mount Morris is a village in Mount Morris Township, Ogle County, Illinois, United States. The population was 2,998 at the 2010 census, down from 3,013 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Mount Morris is located at ....
, and was cast as a replica of the Liberty Bell in 1862. Following its casting, the bell was transported to Lake Geneva
Lake Geneva, Wisconsin
Lake Geneva is a city in Walworth County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 7,148 at the 2000 census. A resort city located on Geneva Lake, it is southwest of Milwaukee and popular with tourists from metropolitan Chicago and Milwaukee.-History:...
, Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
, where it was kept in the belfry
Bell tower
A bell tower is a tower which contains one or more bells, or which is designed to hold bells, even if it has none. In the European tradition, such a tower most commonly serves as part of a church and contains church bells. When attached to a city hall or other civic building, especially in...
of a church along the north shore of Geneva Lake
Geneva Lake
Geneva Lake is a body of freshwater in southeastern Wisconsin in Walworth county. On its shores are the city of Lake Geneva, and the villages of Fontana-on-Geneva-Lake, and Williams Bay....
. In 1910, the church was destroyed by a fire; the bell fell during the fire but was undamaged; following the fire, the bell was put into storage. The church members then decided to reconstruct the church on the south side of the lake. During the winter, as a group of men attempted to drag the bell across the frozen lake, the weight of the bell cracked the ice and it sank to the bottom.
The bell remained submerged for over 40 years before a wealthy resident of Lake Geneva decided to surface the bell in 1960. The resident located the bell, and surfaced it with great difficulty, intent on making the future Illinois Freedom Bell the focal point of his new home. After the bell was salvaged he decided it did not suit his purposes. A young farmer from Johnsburg
Johnsburg, Illinois
Johnsburg is a northwest suburban Chicago village in McHenry County, Illinois, United States. The population was 5,391 at the 2000 census.-History:...
purchased the bell, and it was again kept in storage.
In 1966, an article was published about the bell's submersion and resurfacing at Geneva Lake. The article interested the people of Mount Morris, Illinois, and they sent 12 members of their Fourth of July Committee to investigate the bell in Johnsburg. The people of Mount Morris decided to purchase the bell; a committee was formed and obtained a loan from the Mount Morris VFW
Veterans of Foreign Wars
The Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States is a congressionally chartered war veterans organization in the United States. Headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri, VFW currently has 1.5 million members belonging to 7,644 posts, and is the largest American organization of combat...
. The group also collected donations from local residents to purchase the bell for US$
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
500. By July 4, 1966, the Illinois Freedom Bell hung from the gazebo in its current location, and the two writers who first suggested bell ringing as an annual Independence Day ceremony, Eric Hatch
Eric S. Hatch
Eric S. Hatch was an American writer on the staff of The New Yorker and a novelist and screenwriter best known for his book 1101 Park Avenue that became a hit film under the title My Man Godfrey....
and Eric Sloane
Eric Sloane
Eric Sloane was an American landscape painter and author of illustrated works of cultural history and folklore. He is considered a member of the Hudson River School of painting....
were on hand for its dedication.
Five years later, in 1971, the bell was designated the Official Freedom Bell of the State of Illinois by Illinois Governor
Governor of Illinois
The Governor of Illinois is the chief executive of the State of Illinois and the various agencies and departments over which the officer has jurisdiction, as prescribed in the state constitution. It is a directly elected position, votes being cast by popular suffrage of residents of the state....
Richard B. Ogilvie
Richard B. Ogilvie
Richard Buell Ogilvie was the 35th Governor of Illinois from 1969 to 1973. A wounded combat veteran of World War II, he achieved fame as the mafia-fighting Sheriff of Cook County, Illinois in the 1960s....
. A plaque was added to the tower on July 4, 1972 with an inscription from Governor Ogilvie that reads:
Festival
On February 17, 1963, an issue of This Week contained an article, "Make Freedom Really Ring", written by two ConnecticutConnecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
writers, Eric Hatch and Eric Sloane. In the article, they suggested that every July 4, all bells in the country ring for four minutes, and radio stations broadcast the ringing for two minutes. Readers across the country took the advice of the magazine's editor, and contacted local officials in support of a nationwide bell-ringing observance. Concurrently, a resolution was proposed in Congress by Connecticut Senator Abraham Ribicoff that called for the ringing of bells nationwide at 2 p.m every July 4. Eastern Daylight Time. The bill passed both the Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
and House of Representatives later that year.
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
political star Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
visited Mount Morris to dedicate the first Mount Morris freedom bell, which now hangs at the Veterans' Memorial Fountain. The first freedom bell was a small 16 inch (40.6 cm) bell. Later, as U.S. President in 1984, Reagan was presented with a replica of the official Illinois Freedom Bell in the Oval Office by U.S. Representative Lynn Morley Martin
Lynn Morley Martin
Lynn Morley Martin is a businesswoman and former United States politician.-Political career:Born in Evanston, Illinois, she served as a member of the Winnebago County Board before she served in the Illinois House of Representatives, Illinois Senate, and the U.S. House of Representatives, where she...
. The first national bell-ringing took place on July 4, 1963; Mount Morris also participated in that ringing. Even though many states sponsored bell-ringings, Hatch and Sloane both credited Mount Morris with making their suggestion a reality.
The Illinois Freedom Bell is annually rung in unison, at 1 pm CDT (6 pm UTC) on the Independence Day, July 4, with other bells across the United States. Thousands of people gather in the village to hear the bell each year on Independence Day. In Mount Morris, the annual event is known as the Let Freedom Ring festival. The Mount Morris festival and bell ringing has been attended by several notable individuals. In 1973, future Illinois Governor and member of the 9/11 Commission
9/11 Commission
The National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States, also known as the 9/11 Commission, was set up on November 27, 2002, "to prepare a full and complete account of the circumstances surrounding the September 11, 2001 attacks", including preparedness for and the immediate response to...
, James Thompson
James R. Thompson
James Robert Thompson, Jr. , also known as Big Jim Thompson, was the 37th and longest serving Governor of the US state of Illinois...
attended the festival and bell ringing. A year later, in 1974, Richard Blake, a noted Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through a great constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union, while ending slavery, and...
impersonator, appeared at the festival to speak as Lincoln.
Several times the Let Freedom Ring festival has been broadcast nationally. During the 1964 festival, Governor Otto Kerner
Otto Kerner, Jr.
Otto Kerner, Jr. was the 33rd Governor of Illinois from 1961 to 1968. He is best known for chairing the National Advisory Commission on Civil Disorders and for accepting bribes....
was the speaker at the bell-ringing observance, and his address was transmitted via telephone to the Illinois pavilion at the 1964 New York World's Fair
1964 New York World's Fair
The 1964/1965 New York World's Fair was the third major world's fair to be held in New York City. Hailing itself as a "universal and international" exposition, the fair's theme was "Peace Through Understanding," dedicated to "Man's Achievement on a Shrinking Globe in an Expanding Universe";...
. The 1965 bell-ringing was broadcast over the public address system at Wrigley Field
Wrigley Field
Wrigley Field is a baseball stadium in Chicago, Illinois, United States that has served as the home ballpark of the Chicago Cubs since 1916. It was built in 1914 as Weeghman Park for the Chicago Federal League baseball team, the Chicago Whales...
in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
. Over the years, the committee for the festival requested that the bell-ringing be part of the Illinois Sesquicentennial, the U.S. Bicentennial, and the Statue of Liberty Centennial celebrations, all of which were allowed. The "Let Freedom Ring" celebration hosts a "Freedom Run", arts and crafts, a parade, a fireworks display, and the highlighted ringing of the Illinois Freedom Bell.
Description
The Illinois Freedom Bell is silver in color and cast from bronzeBronze
Bronze is a metal alloy consisting primarily of copper, usually with tin as the main additive. It is hard and brittle, and it was particularly significant in antiquity, so much so that the Bronze Age was named after the metal...
metal. It is four feet (1.2 m) tall and four feet (1.2 m) wide with a weight of 1,500 pounds (680 kg). The bell is housed in a 15 foot wooden "tower," which stands in a prominent position on the town square.