No joke - Philadelphia really once had a giant Liberty Bell. It was built for the last Sesquicentennial celebration, held in South Philly back in 1926.

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The 97-ton steel, plaster, and concrete structure was 80 feet tall, decorated with 26,000 15-watt light bulbs, and mounted on two 30-foot concrete-and-wood pilings. It stood on Broad Street at Bigler Street (about a block from where Skinny Joey's and the I-76 overpass are now located) and was high and wide enough for cars to drive underneath. It cost the City a then-exorbitant $100,000 to build and was constructed in just 47 days.

 

The 1926 Sesquicentennial was a total bust in terms of attendance. The monster was dismantled a mere 14 months later and sold as scrap for the low price of $60.

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Yes, there is a large illuminated Liberty Bell high above the outfield at Citizens Bank Park. Nevertheless, with the 2026 Sesquicentennial fast approaching, we need something more.

 

We need another big azz Liberty Bell.