The Liberty Bell's Mysterious Crack

The Liberty Bell cracked on its very first test ring after arriving from London in 1752. Local metalworkers John Pass and John Stow recast it twice. A thin hairline crack appeared sometime in the early 19th century — no one knows exactly when or why. The wide gap visitors see today is actually a repair: in 1846 the crack was drilled out to stop it spreading. The bell was last rung on George Washington's birthday that year, when the crack grew to the point it could no longer produce a clear tone. It has not been rung since, though it has been gently tapped on ceremonial occasions.