# data[].attributes.body
Walk up the gangway, explore the sailors’ bunks and hang out in the Captain’s and Admiral’s cabins.

# data[].attributes.body
This museum is the first of its kind dedicated to honoring and explaining the U.S. Constitution.

# data[].attributes.body
Why is Pennsylvania misspelled on the bell?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Tradition tells of a chime that changed the world on July 8, 1776, with the Liberty Bell ringing out from the tower of Independence Hall summoning the citizens of Philadelphia to hear the first public reading of the Declaration of Independence by Colonel John Nixon.

The Pennsylvania Assembly ordered the Bell in 1751 to commemorate the 50-year anniversary of William Penn's 1701 Charter of Privileges, Pennsylvania's original Constitution. It speaks of the rights and freedoms valued by people the world over. Particularly forward thinking were Penn's ideas on religious freedom, his liberal stance on Native American rights, and his inclusion of citizens in enacting laws.

The Liberty Bell gained iconic importance when abolitionists in their efforts to put an end to slavery throughout America adopted it as a symbol.

As the Bell was created to commemorate the golden anniversary of Penn's Charter, the quotation "Proclaim Liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof," from Leviticus 25:10, was particularly apt. For the line in the Bible immediately preceding "proclaim liberty" is, "And ye shall hallow the fiftieth year." What better way to pay homage to Penn and hallow the 50th year than with a bell proclaiming liberty?

Also inscribed on the Bell is the quotation, "By Order of the Assembly of the Province of Pensylvania for the State House in Philada." Note that the spelling of "Pennsylvania" was not at that time universally adopted. In fact, in the original Constitution, the name of the state is also spelled "Pensylvania." If you get a chance to visit the second floor of Independence Hall in Philadelphia, take a moment to look at the original maps on the wall. They, too, have the state name spelled "Pensylvania" (and the Atlantic Ocean called by the name of that day, "The Western Ocean"). The choice of the quotation was made by Quaker Isaac Norris, speaker of the Assembly.

Centered on the front of the Bell are the words, "Pass and Stow / Philada / MDCCLIII." We'll get to Pass and Stow in a bit.

The Crack

There is widespread disagreement about when the first crack appeared on the Bell. Hair-line cracks on bells were bored out to prevent expansion. However, it is agreed that the final expansion of the crack which rendered the Bell unringable was on Washington's Birthday in 1846.

The Philadelphia Public Ledger takes up the story in its February 26, 1846 publication:

"The old Independence Bell rang its last clear note on Monday last in honor of the birthday of Washington and now hangs in the great city steeple irreparably cracked and dumb. It had been cracked before but was set in order of that day by having the edges of the fracture filed so as not to vibrate against each other ... It gave out clear notes and loud, and appeared to be in excellent condition until noon, when it received a sort of compound fracture in a zig-zag direction through one of its sides which put it completely out of tune and left it a mere wreck of what it was."

The Bell as Icon

The Bell achieved its iconic status when abolitionists adopted the Bell as a symbol for the movement. It was first used in this association as a frontispiece to an 1837 edition of Liberty, published by the New York Anti-Slavery Society.

It was, in fact, the abolitionists who gave it the name "Liberty Bell," in reference to its inscription. It was previously called simply the "State House bell."

In retrospect, it is a remarkably apt metaphor for a country literally cracked and freedom fissured for its black inhabitants. The line following "proclaim liberty" is, "It shall be a jubilee unto you; and ye shall return every man unto his possession, and ye shall return every man unto his family." The Abolitionists understood this passage to mean that the Bible demanded all slaves and prisoners be freed every 50 years.

William Lloyd Garrison's anti-slavery publication The Liberator reprinted a Boston abolitionist pamphlet containing a poem about the Bell, entitled, The Liberty Bell, which represents the first documented use of the name, "Liberty Bell."

The Bell and the Declaration of Independence

In 1847, George Lippard wrote a fictional story for The Saturday Currier which told of an elderly bellman waiting in the State House steeple for the word that Congress had declared Independence. The story continues that privately he began to doubt Congress's resolve. Suddenly the bellman's grandson, who was eavesdropping on the doors of Congress, yelled to him, "Ring, Grandfather! Ring!"

This story so captured the imagination of people throughout the land that the Liberty Bell was forever associated with the Declaration of Independence.

The truth is that the steeple was in bad condition and historians today highly doubt that the Bell actually rang in 1776. However, its association with the Declaration of Independence was fixed in the collective mythology.

Bell as Symbol

After the divisive Civil War, Americans sought a symbol of unity. The flag became one such symbol, and the Liberty Bell another. To help heal the wounds of the war, the Liberty Bell would travel across the country.

Starting in the 1880s, the Bell traveled to cities throughout the land "proclaiming liberty" and inspiring the cause of freedom. We have prepared a photo essay of its 1915 journey to the Panama-Pacific Exposition in San Francisco.

A replica of the Liberty Bell, forged in 1915, was used to promote women's suffrage. It traveled the country with its clapper chained to its side, silent until women won the right to vote. On September 25, 1920, it was brought to Independence Hall and rung in ceremonies celebrating the ratification of the 19th amendment.

To this day, oppressed groups come to Philadelphia to give voice to their plight, at the Liberty Bell, proclaiming their call for liberty.

History of the Bell

On November 1, 1751, a letter was sent to Robert Charles, the Colonial Agent of the Province of Pennsylvania who was working in London. Signed by Isaac Norris, Thomas Leech, and Edward Warner, it represented the desires of the Assembly to purchase a bell for the State House (now Independence Hall) steeple. The bell was ordered from Whitechapel Foundry, with instructions to inscribe on it the passage from Leviticus.

The bell arrived in Philadelphia on September 1, 1752, but was not hung until March 10, 1753, on which day Isaac Norris wrote, "I had the mortification to hear that it was cracked by a stroke of the clapper without any other viollence [sic] as it was hung up to try the sound."

The cause of the break is thought to have been attributable either to flaws in its casting or, as they thought at the time, to its being too brittle.

Two Philadelphia foundry workers named John Pass and John Stow were given the cracked bell to be melted down and recast. They added an ounce and a half of copper to a pound of the old bell in an attempt to make the new bell less brittle. For their labors they charged slightly over 36 Pounds.

The new bell was raised in the belfry on March 29, 1753. "Upon trial, it seems that they have added too much copper. They were so teased with the witticisms of the town that they will very soon make a second essay," wrote Isaac Norris to London agent Robert Charles. Apparently nobody was now pleased with the tone of the bell.

Pass and Stow indeed tried again. They broke up the bell and recast it. On June 11, 1753, the New York Mercury reported, "Last Week was raised and fix'd in the Statehouse Steeple, the new great Bell, cast here by Pass and Stow, weighing 2080 lbs."

In November, Norris wrote to Robert Charles that he was still displeased with the bell and requested that Whitechapel cast a new one.

Upon the arrival of the new bell from England, it was agreed that it sounded no better than the Pass and Stow bell. So the "Liberty Bell" remained where it was in the steeple, and the new Whitechapel bell was placed in the cupola on the State House roof and attached to the clock to sound the hours.

The Liberty Bell was rung to call the Assembly together and to summon people together for special announcements and events. The Liberty Bell tolled frequently. Among the more historically important occasions, it tolled when Benjamin Franklin was sent to England to address Colonial grievances, it tolled when King George III ascended to the throne in 1761, and it tolled to call together the people of Philadelphia to discuss the Sugar Act in 1764 and the Stamp Act in 1765.

In 1772 a petition was sent to the Assembly stating that the people in the vicinity of the State House were "incommoded and distressed" by the constant "ringing of the great Bell in the steeple."

But, tradition holds, it continued tolling for the First Continental Congress in 1774, the Battle of Lexington and Concord in 1775 and its most resonant tolling was on July 8, 1776, when it summoned the citizenry for the reading of the Declaration of Independence produced by the Second Continental Congress. However, the steeple was in bad condition and historians today doubt the likelihood of the story.

In October 1777, the British occupied Philadelphia. Weeks earlier all bells, including the Liberty Bell, were removed from the city. It was well understood that, if left, they would likely be melted down and used for cannon. The Liberty Bell was removed from the city and hidden in the floorboards of the Zion Reformed Church in Allentown, Pennsylvania, which you can still visit today.

Throughout the period from 1790 to 1800, when Philadelphia was the nation's capital, uses of the Bell included calling the state legislature into session, summoning voters to hand in their ballots at the State House window, and tolling to commemorate Washington's birthday and celebrate the Fourth of July.

The Bell Today

The Liberty Bell Center was opened in October, 2003. From the southern end, the bell is visible from the street 24 hours a day.

On every Fourth of July, at 2pm Eastern time, children who are descendants of Declaration signers symbolically tap the Liberty Bell 13 times while bells across the nation also ring 13 times in honor of the patriots from the original 13 states.

Each year, the bell is gently tapped in honor of Martin Luther King Day. The ceremony began in 1986 at request of Dr. King's widow, Coretta Scott King.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Tradition tells of a chime that changed the world on July 8, 1776, with the Liberty Bell ringing out from the tower of Independence Hall summoning the citizens of Philadelphia to hear the first public reading of the Declaration of Independence by Colonel John Nixon.

# data[].attributes.body
Birthplace of both the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Attraction

Birthplace of both the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution...

Overview

They risked everything - "their lives, their fortune and their sacred honor."

During the blistering summer of 1776, 56 courageous men gathered at the Pennsylvania State House and defied the King of England.

Eleven years later, representatives from 12 states gathered to shape the U.S. Constitution, finally creating one unified nation.

Why Visit

Rich in history, there is tons to explore at this UNESCO World Heritage Site. Independence Hall is also part of the U.S. National Park Service and an Independence National Historical Park.

The guided tour of Independence Hall, led by National Park rangers, begins in the courtroom where lawyers from opposing sides shared tables and law books.

Must-See

Rich in history, there is tons to explore at this UNESCO World Heritage Site.

George Washington's "rising sun" chair dominates the Assembly Room which is arranged as it was during the original Constitutional Convention.

In the adjacent West Wing, the actual inkstand used to sign the Declaration of Independence and an original draft of the Constitution are prominently displayed.

Admission & Info

Admission is by tour only, and you will need timed entry tickets between the peak months of March-December.

If you happen to visit on off-peak times, you will not need a ticket in January-February, or after 5 p.m. during summer hours.

You also don't need tickets on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve (December 24), or Independence Day (July 4). If you don't mind a bit of effort, each day there are a limited quantity of free tickets available at the Ranger's Desk in the I ndependence Visitor Center at 6th and Market Streets, which is also the only place to obtain your free, timed entry tickets.

Same day tickets are available at 8:30 a.m, but the distribution is first come, first served, so plan on getting there no later than 8:45 a.m. for the most available tour times.

To check for same-day ticket availability, call 215-965-2305.

If you're more of a planner, tickets may be reserved in advance (with a handling fee of $1.50 per ticket). For advance reservations, make your reservation online or call 1-877-444-6777.

Hotel Deal

Visit Philly Overnight Hotel Package

The popular Visit Philly Overnight Hotel Package gives you overnight accommodations and up to $214 in free perks, including free hotel parking, free tickets to the Museum of the American Revolution and the National Constitution Center, a $25 Jose Garces restaurant card and free all-day passes on the PHLASH.

Book Now

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Attraction They risked everything - "their lives, their fortune and their sacred honor." During the blistering summer of 1776, 56 courageous men gathered at the Pennsylvania State House and defied the King of England. Eleven years later, representatives from 12 states gathered to shape the U.S. Constitution, finally creating one unified nation.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Official Betsy Ross House - Tour, Tickets & Programs | Historic Philadelphia

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Betsy Ross House tours and programs allow you to explore and celebrate one of our nation's most historic sites.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Mondays to Saturdays: 10 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Sundays: 12:30 PM - 5 PM

Christ Church is closed for tourism on Mondays and Tuesdays in January and February.
Services
Sundays: 9 AM and 11 AM
Wednesdays: 12 PM and 5:45 PM Musical Meditation
6-6:30 PM Service of Prayers and Communion

Plan Your Visit

Find historical details, directions, and tour group information for Christ Church and the Christ Church Burial Ground.
VISIT CHRIST CHURCH
Explore
Neighborhood House

Attend a performance or book a reception room at Neighborhood House.

Support the impact of our Religious Mission and Ministries.

Keep history alive when you contribute to our Historic Preservation and Education.

LATEST TWEETS

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Mondays to Saturdays: 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. Sundays: 12:30 PM - 5 PM Christ Church is closed for tourism on Mondays and Tuesdays in January and February. Services Sundays: 9 AM and 11 AM Wednesdays: 12 PM and 5:45 PM Musical Meditation 6-6:30 PM Service of Prayers and Communion Plan Your Visit Find historical details, directions, and tour group information for Christ Church and the Christ Church Burial Ground.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Old City is truly a signature part of the Philadelphia experience. Explore our historic sites, stay in a great Old City hotel, dine in a wide variety of restaurants and pubs, enjoy a theater or music performance, and shop in our many fashion boutiques.

# data[].attributes.body
The country’s oldest continuously operating farmers’ market, selling nearly every type of cuisine you can imagine.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
On Saturday, May 19, Reading Terminal Market will celebrate "Diamond Day" as part of the Market's year-long 125th birthday festivities. To thank loyal customers and market-goers for 125 years of success, the Market will offer giveaways, food samples, tours, and special 125th birthday-themed discounts. Schedule: 10 a.m.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Attraction

Philadelphia's most popular town square

Overview

One of five original squares planned by city founder William Penn in the late 17th century, Rittenhouse Square is the heart of Center City's most expensive and exclusive neighborhood.

With a bevy of high-rise residences filled with top-end luxury apartments, and some of the best fine dining experiences in the city, residents can marvel at their options, while also enjoying the luxury retail shopping in the area, all of which help surrounds the handsome tree-filled park.

Why Visit

Rittenhouse Square presents a relaxing spot where visitors and locals gather for picnics, sun-bathing, or just to take a stroll amid the trees, manicured lawns and sculptures.

Named for astronomer and clockmaker David Rittenhouse, the family-friendly park remains one of the most lovely and peaceful spots in which to paint, read, relax on a park bench or catch-up with friends.

The main walkways are diagonal, beginning at the corners and meeting at a central oval.

The plaza, which contains a large planter bed and a reflecting pool, is surrounded by a balustrade and ringed by a circular walk.

Classical urns, many bearing relief figures of ancient Greeks, rest on pedestals at the entrances and elsewhere throughout the square. Ornamental lamp posts contribute to an air of old-fashioned gentility.

Must-See

The plaza, which contains a large planter bed and a reflecting pool, is surrounded by a balustrade and ringed by a circular walk.

Several of the city's best-loved outdoor sculptures reside in Rittenhouse Square. The dramatic Lion Crushing a Serpent by the French Romantic sculptor Antoine-Louis Barye sits in the central plaza.

Originally created in 1832, the work is Barye's allegory of the French Revolution of 1830, symbolizing the power of good (the lion) conquering evil (the serpent).

This bronze cast dates back to about 1890.

At the other end of the central plaza, Paul Manship's Duck Girl of 1911, a lyrical bronze of a young girl carrying a duck under one arm, resides within the reflecting pool.

A favorite of the children is Albert Laessle's Billy , a two-foot-high bronze billy goat in a small plaza halfway down the southwest walk.

Billy 's head, horns, and spine have been worn to a shiny gold color after being touched by countless small admirers.

In a similar plaza in the northeast walkway stands the Evelyn Taylor Price Memorial Sundial, a sculpture of two cheerful, naked children who hold aloft a sundial in the form of a giant sunflower head.

Created by Philadelphia artist Beatrice Fenton, the sundial memorializes a woman who served as the president of the Rittenhouse Square Improvement Association and Rittenhouse Square Flower Association.

In the flower bed between the sundial and the central plaza visitors can see Cornelia Van A. Chapin's Giant Frog , a large and sleek granite amphibian. Continuing the animal theme, two small stone dogs, added in 1988, perch on the balustrades at the southwest corner entrance.

Events & More

Rittenhouse Square hosts dozens of events throughout the year, including some of the city's most popular happenings.

Typically held in beginning of May, the blockbuster Rittenhouse Square Spring Festival attracts tens of thousands for a celebration of the season complete with food, shopping, and a showcase of live entertainment.

In the fall, hundreds of artists from around the country "Circle the Square" during the traditional Rittenhouse Square Fine Art Show.

During the holidays, hundreds of celebrants pack the park for the official start of the season during the Rittenhouse Square Christmas Tree Lighting, featuring more than 5,000 brilliant holiday lights.

Hotel Deal

Visit Philly Overnight Hotel Package

Book the Visit Philly Overnight Hotel Package for stays through June 15, 2018 and get FREE hotel parking as well as a $25 We ♥ 13th Street restaurants gift card, a $25 CHeU Noodle restaurants gift card, a $25 gift card to R2L, a free cheesesteak from Campo's and a $10 Lyft credit.

Book Now

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Attraction One of five original squares planned by city founder William Penn in the late 17th century, Rittenhouse Square is the heart of Center City's most expensive and exclusive neighborhood.

# data[].attributes.body
Washington Square was one of Philadelphia's five original squares as laid out in 1682 by William Penn's surveyor, Thomas Holme.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Historic Philadelphia Tour: Washington Square

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
A tour of historic sites of interest throughout Philadelphia with interesting facts, information for visitors and more.

# data[].attributes.body
A tour of the Amish countryside with your bus and driver becomes a moving classroom, as your step-on guide provides the insight of a local resident combined with knowledge of Amish culture.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Wilkum (Welcome) to Lancaster County & the Pennsylvania Dutch Country

This is an area that tourists and visitors have grown to love. When you visit Lancaster County, you'll discover Amish communities where life moves at a slower pace and centers around time-honored traditions and values. You'll find Pennsylvania Dutch countryside dotted with one-room schoolhouses and wooden covered bridges, modern farm machinery being pulled by mule teams, homemade clothing, brightly-colored handmade quilts gently blowing in the breeze, and small furniture stores selling handcrafted Amish-made furniture.

In Amish country, you'll hear the sounds of farm animals and the clip-clop of horse hooves echoing down quiet country roads.

Amid the relaxing atmosphere and peaceful scenery, you'll find a unique blend of attractions and entertainment, food, shopping, and lodging that help to make Lancaster County one of America's favorite vacation destinations for all ages ( see things for families to do). More than 8 million people visit Lancaster County each year (per the "Power of Lancaster County Tourism" 2016 report). Many begin by searching " Visit Lancaster PA " on Google and discovering all the area has to offer on their first visit. Then, they return here year after year because they find the Amish and Lancaster County experience so special.

Lancaster's Convenient Location

Our proximity to many of the mid-Atlantic population centers make this a convenient weekend getaway. We're roughly an hour and a half from Philadelphia and Baltimore, two hours from Washington, D.C., and just three hours from New York City.

Your Online Visitors Guide to Lancaster County, PA

Looking for fun things to see and do? You'll find it when you visit Lancaster County, from the thriving city life in historic downtown Lancaster to the charming small towns scattered throughout the countryside.

With an abundance of attractions and fun things to see and do for all ages, combined with the unique culture and lifestyle of our Amish neighbors, Lancaster really does offer its visitors a break from the routine of daily life.

Whether you're planning an extended vacation, a weekend getaway, a day trip, or just something to do with the kids, we can help you find what you're looking for. Plus, we can help you save money in the process with Lancaster coupons and our list of free things to do.

Plan a Memorable Visit to Lancaster

Come and visit Amish country to discover all that makes Lancaster such a fascinating place. Make yourself at home in Lancaster County, even if only for a few days. You'll enjoy the memories!

If you're familiar with Lancaster and the Pennsylvania Dutch, just dive in anywhere. We have tried to make this website easy to navigate. But if you're not sure where to begin, start with our Things To Do in Lancaster page. Here, we'll give you a brief overview of things you might enjoy. Then you can jump in deeper wherever you like.

Here's a resource to help you enjoy your Lancaster County visit -

Order a Free Map and Visitors Guide. Call 1-800-PA-DUTCH to order your copy of the tourism guide, and it will be mailed to you.

Wilkum to Lancaster County's Amish Country!
Go 'N Bananas Family Fun Center
1170 Garfield Road
Lancaster, PA 17601
717-287-5000

Kids' Fun Center for Kids! Your kids will enjoy hours of fun with bumper cars, ropes course, laser tag, mini-bowling, ballocity, mini bowling, game arcade, Congo Café, and more! Great for birthday parties, too! Use our money-saving passes or pay for each attraction. Please visit our website for more information.
Silverstone Inn & Suites
62 Bowman Road
Lancaster, PA 17602
717-290-6987, 877-290-6987

Choose from eight quiet, romantic and luxurious rooms and suites with private baths, Jacuzzi's, fireplaces, individual A/C, TV, DVD, phone and free Wifi in our Award winning, historic limestone house perfectly located in the heart of the Amish area of Lancaster County, PA. A fully served gourmet breakfast is included. Visit website

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Visit Lancaster, PA (Free 2018 Travel Guide by Locals) Lancaster County's PA Dutch Country

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
This is an area that tourists and visitors have grown to love. When you visit Lancaster County, you'll discover Amish communities where life moves at a slower pace and centers around time-honored traditions and values.