Fiberglass Liberty Replicas will be decorated by local artists in Pennsylvania’s 67 counties to celebrate the nations 250th anniversary this summer.
In a state-wide installation entitled “Bells Across PA,” over 100 locally designed and decorated Liberty Bells will grace Pennsylvania’s 67 counties to celebrate the nation’s upcoming 250th anniversary. The bell designs were pitched to and chosen by America250, part of the federal government’s U.S. Semiquincentennial Commission in charge of celebration plans across the country.
Counties called for local artists and members of the public to submit designs as far back as 2024. Winners received a $1,000 commission to bring their bell design to life. Each bell will pay tribute to the history and people that make its county unique.
Mandy Sirofchuck, a mosaic artist based in Ligonier, has been commissioned to create the Westmoreland County bell. The Westmoreland bell was sponsored for $10,000 by Discover Westmoreland. When the bell is complete, it will be displayed outside the Westmoreland Museum of American Art in Greensburg starting August 10th.
Sirofchuck intends to highlight the features of her county in her mosaic design, saying “we have all this natural beauty here, we have so much wonderful history, and so my bell is going to feature images of our wildlife and things in the county.”
Dawn Lamuth, serving as America250’s Westmoreland advisor, says of the Westmoreland bell: “It brings the community together in an engaging way,” Lamuth said. “There’s artwork, there’s information surrounding the themes, which ties into the history of the county. It tells our story within the broader context of America’s 250th anniversary.”
While each county is allotted at least one bell, Westmoreland–home to the State capitol–will have two. First Energy is sponsoring a second bell with the theme “MORE energy in Westmoreland: Powering the Past and Energizing the Future.” Members of the public were welcomed to submit designs featuring coal, wind, hydro-electric power, and solar power. The First Energy bell will be displayed near Murrysville’s first commercial natural gas well.
Blair County recently revealed its liberty bell painted by Leah McNaul and titled “Blair County — A Part of America’s Story.” The Blair County bell located at DelGrosso’s Park commemorates Blair’s unique participation in America’s history with tributes to the railroad industry and farming as well as the county’s many landmarks.
Wayne County, too, has placed a semi-quincentennial bell outside of the historic Hawley Silk Mill to honor immigrant laborers, particularly women, who played an integral role in America’s industrial revolution.
