Independence Hall & The Liberty Bell
The answers will vary , because the qualifications of being a National Historic Landmark are extensive . Many different pieces of U . S . history are considered to be of importance . The last question is the most significant . If the U . S . government has registered the landmark and it is under the protection of either the National Park Service , a private owner , a state authority , or a combination of two or all three controllers , then it is , legally , a National Historic Landmark . The status of being a National Historic Landmark ( NHL ) is the highest possible recognition , and the most protected .
Most landmarks are doubly protected , by being within a National Historical Park . National Historical Parks ( NHPs ) usually encompass one or more landmarks within their boundaries . An example of this is seen at the Independence National Historical Park , located in Philadelphia . The Independence National Historical Park is comprised of more than 50 acres , including Philadelphia ’ s “ most visited historic district .” The National Park Service watches over the entire park , which contains so many historic landmarks that it has been named “ America ’ s most historic square mile .”
INDEPENDENCE HALL & THE LIBERTY BELL The heart of Independence National Historical Park is Independence Hall , where the U . S . Constitution and the Declaration of Independence were deliberated and an agreement and signing finally took place . Just across the street from Independence Hall is one of the most valuable and famous symbols ( also considered a landmark ) of America : The Liberty Bell .
It is said that the Liberty Bell chimed on July 8 , 1776 , as a signal for all citizens of Philadelphia to come listen to the first public reading of the finalized Declaration of Independence . Inscribed on the bell is a biblical quote from Leviticus , chapter 25 , verse 10 : “ Proclaim Liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof .”
The Liberty Bell was not called so until after the 1830s , when abolitionists used it as a metaphor for the anti-slavery movement . Before this , it was simply called “ The State
House Bell .” The Liberator , an anti-slavery publication by William Lloyd Garrison , soon reprinted an abolitionist pamphlet that contained a poem about the bell , rightly titled , " The Liberty Bell .” This published poem represents the first documented renaming of the bell . The Liberty Bell is displayed in the Liberty Bell Center , which opened in 2003 . The bell is enclosed and remains visible from the street .
The mystery of how the bell got its famous crack has never been fully uncovered
but it is said to be a consequence of nearly 90 years of hard , daily use , that ultimately retired the bell . The bell is still tapped lightly every year . Annually on the Fourth of July , children of the descendants of the signers of the Declaration of Independence come to tap the bell , reliving its history and rediscovering its importance .
30 | Spring 2017 | Adventure Outdoors