Idaho Liberty Bell Tour kicks off in East Idaho

The 2026 Idaho Liberty Bell Tour will kick off with three stops in East Idaho this week before it continues its journey through all 44 counties.

The bell, modeled after the cracked original in Philadelphia, will be in Pocatello from 2 to 4 p.m. Thursday and from 10 a.m. to noon Friday at the Idaho Farm Bureau Federation. It will then travel to Blackfoot on Saturday from 7:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. for the Eastern Idaho State Fair and Parade.

The Idaho Liberty Bell was one of several replicas that were distributed to U.S. states and territories to promote the sale of U.S. savings bonds. It arrived in Idaho in 1950, toured the state and found a permanent home in front of the Idaho State Capitol in November 1951.

As part of Idaho's America 250 celebration, the bell was restored and sent on a tour that will take it across the state this year, giving Idahoans a chance to see the symbol of American liberty in their own communities.

I’d never heard of these Liberty Bell replicas before. Very cool it is visiting every Idaho county!

As we celebrate America’s 250th birthday, Idaho is restoring her Liberty Bell which is one of the most recognizable symbols of freedom and connects modern Idahoans to the enduring sound of liberty heard in 1776. The Idaho Liberty Bell was mounted on the Capitol steps in 1951. The bell’s yoke and existing bolts and hardware are being comprehensively restored at Foundry Christoph of South Carolina, the U.S. branch of the bell’s original foundry. When the bell returns to Idaho it will be taken on a tour of the state for all Idahoans to enjoy before it is installed back on the steps of the Capitol Building. This project was initiated by the Idaho legislature’s America250 in Idaho Ambassador Program and is supervised by the Idaho State Historical Society and the Idaho Capitol Commission.

Scope of Restoration Work

New yoke housing made from specialty lumber to match the look of the original 1950s yoke
Cleaning, repair, and treatment of existing bolts and hardware
Replacement of broken hardware as needed
Addition of protective metal cladding at the top and bottom of the yoke
New steel brackets to hold the yoke in its pedestals

History of the Idaho’s Liberty Bell
In 1950, the Paccard Foundry of France was selected by the U.S. Department of the Treasury to cast 55 full-size Liberty Bell replicas for placement at state capitols and U.S. territories as part of a national Summer Savings Bond Drive. Foundry craftsmen carefully measured every feature of the original Liberty Bell to create historically accurate replicas. Today, Paccard’s U.S. operation, Foundry Christoph in Charleston, South Carolina, continues to apply more than two centuries of expertise to the maintenance and restoration of these iconic bells, including the use of specialty trees grown in foundry nurseries to replicate the durability of the original American spruce used in the 1950s.

Idaho’s Liberty Bell replica has undergone two previous replacements of the wooden housing that supports the bell’s yoke, in 2009 and 2018. Public Advocacy and America250 in Idaho Task Force support prompted professional review and coordination with state leaders, including the Legislature, Treasurer’s Office, America250 in Idaho Advisory Council, Idaho State Capitol Commission, and ISHS. Based on those assessments, ISHS is proposing a comprehensive replacement of the wooden yoke housing by Paccard–Christoph Foundry. Neighboring states Oregon and Utah have recently completed similar projects, providing a successful model for Idaho to follow as part of a long-term America250 legacy investment.

The project includes rigging and lowering the bell from its existing structure, secure crating and shipment to the foundry, and fabrication of a new custom-fitted wooden yoke made of sapele wood with a burnt linseed oil application for long-term weather protection. The upgraded yoke will include a steel top plate to enhance structural strength and protect against water intrusion, reinforced steel plates beneath the yoke, cleaning and treatment of existing bolts and hardware with replacement as needed, new steel anchoring brackets, and final reinstallation of the bell on site. Paccard–Christoph will also provide care and maintenance guidelines to ensure long-term preservation.

The estimated timeline for completion is four to six months. This project supports Idaho’s participation in the national America250 commemoration in 2026 and ensures this iconic symbol remains preserved for future generations.

Years ago, my men's chorus was invited to sing at the Ridge Street Fire Station in Charlottesville, VA by a local group of the descendants of the signers of the Declaration of Independence, where one of the two Virginia Liberty replicas is on display. This was a special event for me and a few others in our group as we are descendants of the signers, and were allowed to ring the bell. I am descended through my mother's family who trace our lineage to Benjamin Harrison.

The Charlottesville bell was originally at Monticello in 1950, but later moved to the fire station in Charlottesville. I doubt that many Virginians, or citizens of Charlottesville even know it exists.

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