A Free Spirit's Bucket List: #430 See The Liberty Bell

The Liberty Bell

As part of the family Jersey/Philly weekend of June 2016, we spent a good part of Sunday, June 5th, strolling around Independence National Park. This park is often referred to as Historic Philadelphia, The Old City or Independence Mall but it really is a national park for real. And it is a very beautiful part of the city no doubt. I must admit, I was pleasantly surprised with how nice and clean the Old City was. However, it was the deep roots of history forever entwined with the birth of our nation that made Historic Philadelphia so incredibly fascinating to me.

I parked my Jeep in the most expensive parking garage in downtown Philadelphia because I am not at all familiar with this city and did not really know any better. No matter, I was pretty stoked to check out the very first capital of the United States of America. The most important thing on my Historic Philadelphia to do list was to see the Liberty Bell. Actually, it was the only thing on my to do list. Everything else was just an added bonus.

Storytelling Tours in The Old City

I have always wanted to see the bell since I learned about it back in my 4th grade history class. It was an icon of American independence and freedom from tyranny. However, some of that history definitely got lost on me because for some reason, and I know it was never hanging in the Vet ( Veterans Stadium), yet I always pictured it hanging in the Vet. I had been to the Vet several times to see Phillies games so I knew it was not in there yet my brain always associated the Liberty Bell with Veterans Stadium. Yes, my brain is a funhouse of weirdness.

It was fated for me to see the bell too because the parking garage was pretty much located next to where the Liberty Bell was housed. However, I did not realize this until after I spent two hours of endless searching. I saw many wonderful things during my search but the bell had eluded me thus far. I guess Captain Obvious was too good to notice any of the 50 signs pointing to the bell. Finally, I broke down and asked for directions not only for my own sanity but for the sanity of my kids as well.

The security guy smirked at me when I asked. He was probably thinking who is this winner? I deserved it though. I was a bad Pennsylvanian. I have lived in PA my entire life and was just getting around to seeing this majestic bell. That wasn't very Pennsylvanian of me was it? Nope. The security guard pointed to the building across the lawn from where we were standing. I just shook my head. It was the building by the parking garage where my Jeep was located. I just sighed.

We walked across the lawn to where the Liberty Bell was enshrined. I may have accidentally cut in line unwittingly and received a scolding from my kids. Seriously though, I couldn't read the signs pointing to where the bell was located so how could they expect me to read the signs on where to enter the line? Come on now. Was this really a shocker? The line wasn't long anyway. No harm no foul. I got behind the couple I cut in front of. They didn't even notice.

Ricky and The Bell

We certainly picked a good time for some bell viewing too. It did not seem very crowded at all inside the building. Sweet! I was also pleasantly surprised to learn that visiting the bell was free of charge. You did have to go through a security check to enter the museum but I did not mind. I never do mind security checks. They are annoying yes, but they are a good thing. I was glad to see that the bell was being protected and guarded very seriously. The Liberty Bell is a national treasure. It is a precious symbol of the freedom we enjoy daily. It's a historic reminder of the men and women who fought for that very freedom from oppression we are blessed to experience.

Once we were considered secure, we entered the building. A long hallway stretched down towards the area where the Liberty Bell was located. As we began our jaunt towards the bell, I noticed the museum itself was very beautiful and quite modern. One wall of the corridor was lined with floor to ceiling windows while the other was lined with grey stone. The floor was designed with brick and the ceiling wore wooden planks and steel beams. Every few feet along the hallway stood an exhibit stand displaying pictures and plaques filled with information pertaining to the bell.

There were also a few small rooms containing memorabilia from colonial times associated with the Liberty Bell. I stopped and looked at a few museum pieces but honestly, I was too excited to see the bell. I also happened to notice a crowd gathering at the entrance of the museum. I wanted to reach the bell and take a few pictures before it became too crowded. I hurried my kids along the corridor, eager to beat the crowds.

The end of the hall opened to a room surrounded by white stone walls and a floor to ceiling window facing North. In the middle of the room, surrounded by roping, hung the Liberty Bell. She was larger than I expected. The deep dark color of her coating was beautiful and shiny. Not too shabby for a centuries old gal. The infamous fissure up the front of the her face was even deeper and more prominent than what I observed in photos.

According to historical notes, the crack in the Liberty Bell was once a small fissure that was made wider in an attempt to fix her scar. It failed. Sighs. The things men put us belles through. LOL. All kidding aside though, I thought the crack made her even more glorious. It gave her such undeniable character. Besides, having only one wrinkle at the age of 265 years old is pretty awesome in my book. Though delicate now, this aging beauty wears her strength proudly and with class.

Philadelphia Freedom!

The kids and I circled around the bell a few times, taking in her presence. I would have loved to hear what she sounded like in her heyday, but the risk of further damaging this national treasure prevents the bell from ever being rung again. Understandably so. I actually found a sound byte on the Liberty Bell website, created by students from Penn State whom used mathematics and modern technology to compute what the bell would have sounded like back in the 1700's. It was very cool. Sounded just like church bells but a little deeper and with more vibration.

As for the heavy metal make up of the Liberty Bell, it was a mosh posh of Metallica and Iron Maiden. Just kidding. It's all Megadeath. Nah. Truth is, many different alloys were used during the initial casting as well as the two additional recasts. One recast was ordered so as to repair the crack in the bell. The second recast was ordered because the bell sounded horrible when rung. That was due to a poor formulation of alloys used in the first recast. Anyways, she cracked again after the second recast. Experts believe the many different components of alloys used, some of very poor quality, and the two additional castings, made the bell too weak and brittle. It would be too risky to ring her any more.

Independence Hall

Truth be told, there are many rumors and stories surrounding the Liberty Bell and it's troubled first century of life. I have read many different stories myself. I believe these stories just add to the mystique and legend that is the Liberty Bell. But, enough history lessons for today kids. Let's wrap this story up. My daughter declined taking selfies with me and the Liberty Bell but my son allowed me to photograph him next to the Liberty Bell. The crowd surrounding her was definitely growing larger so it was time to say goodbye. We soaked in all of her glory one last time then made our way out of the museum.

Benjamin Franklin's Grave

Historic Philadelphia had presented another opportunity for me. I had a new quest. I was looking to hunt down the original rock star of the USA. I was seeking out "The First American." Benjamin Franklin's grave was not very far from the Liberty Bell Museum. I had heard his grave was visible from the sidewalk running alongside of the Christ Church Burial Ground. And while Ben Franklin, like all public figures, had some shady dealings in his personal life and also had some views in which I completely disagreed, I still thought he was one of the most incredible and amazing figures in the history of history.

After visiting Ben's grave and offering up a penny like many other tourists had done, the kids and I headed back over to the area near the parking garage. We were tired and needed a rest before heading over to Franklin Square for the Chinese Lantern Festival. We relaxed on the benches in the Dream Garden, admiring the lush greenery and fragrant flowers. Our bellies were still pretty full from enjoying both Geno's and Pat's cheese steaks earlier in the day but we were getting thirsty and I needed to charge my phone.

Independence Beer Garden

Independence Beer Garden was a classy little bar located above the parking garage. We had to pass through it to get into the park. Maybe they had sodas there. I was not really in the mood for beer or alcohol. We still had a long second half of the day ahead of us and a torrential downpour to survive. As we neared the beer garden, we decided we were definitely going to get some drafts, just not the type of draft you would expect.

You see, there was a coffee shop in the same building as the Independence Beer Garden. They had outlets we could use to charge our phones. It was also a lot cheaper than the beer garden. (I would still like to visit the Independence Beer Garden one day.) We walked inside the coffee shop and took a seat in some of the plush faux leather comfy chairs they had surrounding little coffee tables. There were outlets near every table. This was outstanding.

Draft Coffee.....absolute deliciousness!

It was not very crowded in LaColombe Torrefaction which was a bit of a relief. My phone would take forever just to get to 50% charge. I was probably going to have to sit here an hour although it seemed like the type of place where you could most certainly sit as long as you pleased. We noticed a barista pouring something out of a tap. Curious, my daughter and I headed over to see what this was all about.

The barista was more than happy to introduce us to draft coffee. She seemed very amused by what had to be extremely puzzled looks on our faces. How? That is all I kept thinking to myself. How do you make a draft coffee? And could it possibly taste any good? The barista happily gave my daughter and I a sampling of draft coffee. Both my mouth and my brain were very confused but very pleased by this draft coffee. It tasted rich, cold and creamy.

My daughter decided to treat me to one of these frothy and unique coffee concoctions. How sweet. Such a good kiddo she is. As we sat back into the comfy chairs and sipped at our new coffee experiences, I plugged in my phone and took some time to reflect on this day thus far. Experiencing The Liberty Bell and a historical icon's final resting place as well as other Old City treasures in one afternoon was pretty spectacular. I had no idea what to expect but was quite happy with the results of the afternoon. This little visit to the Old City was a grand adventure indeed.