Official Government Website
LIBERTY BELL RESTORATION
A legacy for Idaho.
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.
Timeline
Wednesday 1/28
Evening: Christoph Foundry technician arrives
Thursday 1/29
8am: Technician arrives at Capitol
8am – 5pm: technician constructing shipping crate for bell
Friday 1/30
7:30 am: ISHS staff on-site
10:30am-12:30pm: Bell sendoff event
12:30-3pm: removal of bell from mount structure and packing in crate
3pm: transport vehicle for bell arriving
Scope of 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.
