| Freedom Bell, American Legion | |
|---|---|
 Sculpture in 2010 | |
| Year | Cast in 1975 (1975), dedicated in 1981[1] |
| Type | Bronze |
| Location | Washington, D.C. |
| Coordinates | 38°53′47.6″N77°0′23.53″W / 38.896556°N 77.0065361°W /38.896556; -77.0065361 |
| Owner | National Park Service |
Freedom Bell, American Legion, is a public artwork located atUnion Station in Washington, D.C., United States. A replica of theLiberty Bell,Freedom Bell, American Legion was surveyed as part of theSmithsonian's American Art Museum's Inventories of American Painting and Sculpture database in 1985.[1]
The sculpture is a 2:1 scale replica of theLiberty Bell. The bell, which was cast byPetit & Fritsen, weighs 8 tons and has a support structure ofpost and beam style with two concrete shafts.[1] Set into the paving in front of the bell is a plaque that reads:
The bell, a Bicentennial gift from theAmerican Legion, is a model of the bell on display at the American Legion Headquarters inIndianapolis, Indiana. Authorized byCongress on October 12, 1976, it was cast outside of the US because nofoundry had the capacity to cast the bell.
When the bell was completed it was shipped toBaltimore and then traveled to all 48 contiguous states aboard the AmericanFreedom Train for the Bicentennial, starting on April 1, 1975, in Wilmington, Delaware, and ending December 31, 1976, in Miami, Florida.[3] The bell shared train car No. 41 (later renumbered 40) with a map of the American Freedom Train's journey and alunar rover.[4] From 1977 to 1978 the bell was placed inNational Park Service storage until lengthy discussions led to an agreement and the bell was placed at Union Station in 1981. The American Legion, who hoped for placement at theNational Mall, were unhappy with the bell's placement.[1]
In 2024, the bell was covered with graffiti by pro-Palestinian protesters, protesting Israel's action in the ongoingGaza war and calling forIntifada and the dismantlement of theState of Israel and the United States, which coincided with a speech to theU.S. Congress by Israeli Prime MinisterBenjamin Netanyahu.[5]
The details of the casting were handled by I. T. Verdin Company ofCincinnati, Ohio. Jack Patrick served as associate architect for the sculpture and Allen J. Wright Associates created the post and beam support for the bell. The iron work was completed by Fred S. Gichner Iron Works.[1]
