The Washington state Liberty Bell replica is hidden away right in the center of town. Most visitors likely pass over it without noticing. It sits in a lush outdoor plaza on the back side of the beautiful 1911 Union Station building which served as the western terminus of Northern Pacific’s transcontinental railroad. The building now hosts the US district courthouse and a wedding rental facility replete with gobs of Chihuly glass art.
The bell can be seen from the Bridge of Glass, a 500-foot-long pedestrian overpass crossing the highway and train tracks. Built in 2002, the bridge connects downtown Tacoma with the Museum of Glass on the Thea Foss Waterway. If you’re picking up a glass theme it’s because the city of destiny is Dale Chihuly’s hometown and it looks like he and Tacoma love each other very much.
The Chihuly connection is actually less apparent inside the Museum of Glass which was hosting an impressive collection of art deco and modern glass pieces.
Recommissioned in 1994, the bell is in great shape. The original plaque looks like new mounted on a stand a few yards from the bell. Most Liberty Bell replica plaques are mounted directly on the ground and many are worse for wear and tear.
One of the few bells not located in the capital city, I’m not sure how the bell ended up in Tacoma and not Olympia, but I’m glad it did. Tacoma is a lovely little college town with cool shops, great seafood and the architecturally significant Stadium District.
Cursory research reveals that Tacoma suffers from an undeserved bad rap. Home to a paper mill and oil refinery, Tacoma smells like either money or hot puke, depending on who you talk to. According to local legend, the smell was so noxious it chased the otherwise unflappable Bruce Springsteen out of town in 1984 (after he played two 3.5 hour shows). Happily, the Aroma of Tacoma was hardly noticeable on the day we visited.
The Tacoma Liberty Bell replica does not have a fake crack painted on (my preference). However, if you look under the “P” in the photo above, you can see discoloration from where a fake crack was once painted.
The dependable PNW rain cleared up just as we rolled into Tacoma and provided a pleasant visit with great natural lighting.
Oddly, while there are 55 total Liberty Bell replicas, the Tacoma Washington dedication plaque, and many others state there were 53 bells cast. Press clipping from 1950 mention 51 bells. The Liberty Bell Museum in Allentown PA lists 55 replicas, the locations of which I’ve documented here — so that’s the number I’m going with. Perhaps some additional bells were cast after the initial order.
While Liberty Bell replicas don’t get much press these days, there is a great 2010 piece from the Tacoma Weekly on this bell.
It’s been over a year since we’ve seen a new bell and the Tacoma trip inspired us to get back out there. We’re thinking about a Northwest trip this summer to bang out Oregon, Idaho and Montana. More to come…
Hi, we have one of the original 300 replicas at our location in Phoenix AZ. Purchased by Phil Tovrea. I am researching its history and wondered if you may know more than me. I am in contact with the Tovrea estate. But wondered if you had any info on it.
We visited the Paccard Founderie in Annecy, France where we learned about their casting of 55 replicas of the US Liberty Bell. The Founderie is amazing to visit and see a casting in process, visiting their museum, and hear an incredible singer accompanied by bells. We learned the singer (and tour guide) was a professional singer who married a Paccard and became totally infatuated and involved with the Founderie. A visit and tour is a “must see” if you are in Annecy. Check their website for special events (such as the casting of a 2-ton bell). The U.S.A. provides the Founderie with the most orders. Thank you for identifying where our home state of WA is displaying the bell. I wonder if it is being rung on “patriotic occasions” as requested as part of the gift from the US government and companies that provided funds.
Forest, Thanks for sharing your story. I have yet to visit Paccard in France but would love to. The Washington bell is in really great shape and is functional. I could not find any recent stories of the bell being officially rung on a patriotic occasion. I did see this, from 2012: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AGJzWj2YQto
“The Liberty Bell came to rest at its reviewing area at the front of the Federal Building at 1102 A St on July 14, 1915. For two and a half hours, it was on display for the citizens of Tacoma. The bell, which rang for the Continental Congress’s adoption of the Declaration of Independence, was slowly making its way cross country from Philadelphia to the Panama-Pacific International Exposition in San Francisco. Over 20,000 people crowded for a glimpse of the bell while it was in Tacoma. (TDL 7/14/1915, pg. 1) TPL-019 (photograph courtesy of Sherrill Erb)”
This text is from the Tacoma Public Library and their Northwest Room. They have an extensive amount of historic images and information.
Tina,
Thanks for the info. It’s fascinating to learn all the places the original LB visited.