Second Liberty Bell revealed for 250th anniversary countywide celebration

We’re celebrating Lebanon County’s role in American history. Read more here.

State and county officials on Wednesday unveiled the state-required Liberty Bell to commemorate the nation’s 250th anniversary celebration next July.

The bell, which was painted by Lebanon resident Jim Rudegeair, depicts an agricultural scene of sunflower fields. It’s part of a nationwide 250th anniversary celebration of the country’s birth on July 4. Lebanon County, like the rest of America, will have special celebrations on the anniversary date next summer.

A special celebration will be held at the Lebanon Valley Expo Center, which is where Wednesday’s unveiling took place as part of the Bells Across PA initiative. The county-based celebration will include the annual fireworks show that is normally held at Coleman Memorial Park, but will be moved to the fairgrounds for the occasion, according to 250th anniversary committee chair Bonnie Loy.

One side of the bell shows a scene from Jeff and Sue Werner’s sunflower farm near Lickdale while the other side shows the Union Canal tunnel, also with fields of sunflowers.

Saying he was an artist and not a public speaker, Rudegeair had limited comments before the approximate 65 people who attended the official unveiling.

Officials reach for the cover just prior to the grand reveal of a Liberty Bell that pays tribute to Lebanon County’s rich agricultural heritage.

After the event, Rudegeair said he was unsure how many hours he worked to complete the 3-foot by 3-foot bell, which has a nine-square-foot surface area.

“I was just happy, happy it was finished. I liked the way it turned out. It was good,” Rudegeair said, noting it’s difficult for an artist to know when a work is finished. “Yeah, that’s the hard part knowing (when), and the older I get, the harder it gets. I keep wanting to tweak it.”

After LebTown visited and reported on the project, Rudegeair added two features to the fiberglass bell: 10 birds in flight and the Werner’s farmhouse.

“I like purple martins. That’s what they are. And then there’s the house in the background. That’s their house at the farm. It’s just positioned differently to make it work. It’s a more artistic license,” he added.

The second Liberty Bell for Lebanon County in honor of the nation’s 250th anniversary was revealed at a ceremony at the Lebanon Expo Center on Wednesday. (James Mentzer)

Rudegeair said he put down his paint brushes for the final time in early November. After that, three coats of a clear gloss were applied to make the bell shine.

All speakers touched upon the historic significance of the bell.

Lebanon Mayor Sherry Capello highlighted the bell’s significant role, not only to Pennsylvania but across the United States.

“It lies not in its sound, but in the ideals it has come to embody. So though long silent, as indicated before, it remains one of the most powerful symbols of freedom, independence, and justice anywhere in the world,” Capello said. “It was born in Philadelphia, rooted in Pennsylvania’s history. The bell has inspired generations of Americans to pursue the promise engraved on its iconic bronze face, proclaimed liberty throughout all the land onto all of the inhabitants thereof.”

Lebanon Mayor Sherry Capello makes remarks during the Bells Across PA event on Wednesday at the Lebanon Expo Center.

Commissioned in 1751 in the Pennsylvania State House, the bell now resides at the Independence Hall complex in Philadelphia.

“The bell originally served a practical civic purpose. It was calling lawmakers to session, and it also summoned the public for important public announcements. And according to tradition, it rang on July 8, 1776, to gather Philadelphia for its first public reading of the Declaration of Independence. During the Revolutionary War, Pennsylvanians hid the bell in Allentown to protect it from being melted down by the British, safeguarding what would later become our national treasure,” added Capello.

Jen Kuzo, president of Visit Lebanon Valley, spoke of the historic significance of Lebanon County in the nation’s creation.

“Our local iron masters, of course, like those at the Cornwall Iron Furnace, forged shot and cannon that supplied … George Washington’s army. And our farmers across the region fed the troops and supported the continental cause. So our ancestors didn’t merely watch history unfold. They helped forge it literally and figuratively, right?” she said. “Over the generations, Lebanon County grew into a community known for hard work and steady character. Our rolling farmlands, our boroughs and townships, our factories and small businesses all reflect a spirit of self-reliance and cooperation.”

The Liberty Bell is symbolic to Lebanon countians, added Kuzo, whose last day before retirement is Friday, Dec. 12.

Visit Lebanon Valley president Jen Kuzo said the fiberglass Liberty Bell will be on display through 2026 at the tourism agency’s offices in North Cornwall Township.

“The people of our county have always understood that liberty is lived out in daily commitments, raising families and building communities and serving their neighbors. That is what our Lebanon County Liberty Bell stands for. It is not just a symbol of our nation’s ideals. It’s a testament to the people who brought those ideals to life right here in Lebanon County,” she added. “It honors the iron workers of Cornwall, the farmers of our countryside, the veterans in every township, the volunteers in every fire hall, and the families who made sacrifices to build a strong and steady community.”

Kuzo noted Lebanon County’s story is part of the national narrative.

“As we dedicate our Liberty Bell, we affirm that our county’s identity is inseparable from the American story. This bell is a reminder that freedom begins at home in our neighborhoods, in our schools, our places of worship, and in the way we care for one another,,” Kuzo said. “It reminds us that our future depends on the same virtues that shaped our past – courage, responsibility, unity, and hope. Today, we honor our country and Lebanon County, our people, our history, and our role in keeping the flame of liberty alive.”

Kelly Leighton, director of strategic partnerships for Pennsylvania250, said during opening remarks as event emcee that while the bells may not ring, they’re far from silent.

“Each one tells a story about community, creativity, and pride,” Leighton said. “The bell that we’re revealing today, local artist James Rudegeair has done an incredible job capturing the area’s deep roots in agriculture, which you’ll see here in a few minutes. But he has a beautiful depiction of a field of sunflowers on the Werner farm, and it captures just the beauty of Lebanon County and symbolizes its growth, its resilience, and its strong values of community. And just like the bells that have already been dedicated and installed across the Commonwealth, this bell shows us a piece of our shared history.”

Keystone ChalleNGe Academy members present the colors at the Bells Across PA event at the Lebanon Valley Expo Center on Wednesday.

Other feature speakers included Sen. Chris Gebhard (R-48), Rep. John Schlegel (R-101), state treasurer Stacy Garrity, and First Energy representative Karen Kinslow. Chris Earhart sang the National Anthem at the start of the event and “God Bless America” immediately after the bell was revealed. Lebanon County 250th anniversary committee chair Bonnie Loy led the audience in the Pledge of Allegiance.

The bell was made possible through a grant from First Energy, as noted by a plaque at the bell’s base along with the title “Field of Sunflowers.” The bell will reside at the offices of Visit Lebanon Valley through 2026, according to Kuzo. Colors were presented and later retired by members of Pennsylvania Keystone State ChalleNGe Academy, a program conducted at Fort Indiantown Gap for at-risk youths looking to forge a new path to a brighter future.

This is Lebanon County’s second 250th anniversary Liberty Bell and is different from the one loaned for the celebration by Lebanon County coroner Dr. Jeffrey Yocum.

Yocum’s is a carved wooden bell and is being housed at the Lebanon Valley Expo Center when it is not on display around the county at various events to promote the anniversary celebration next July.

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Second Liberty Bell revealed for 250th anniversary countywide celebration

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