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| During Newark’s Bicentennial Celebration on August 16th and 17th, 2002, the Ohio Bicentennial Commission cast a commemorative Bicentennial bell for Licking County. The project, a signature event for the whole state, served as a guarantee that every Ohio county would take part in and benefit from the Bicentennial. In planning such an ambitious project, the Commission enlisted the world’s largest bell manufacturer; the Cincinnati-based “Verdin Company.” Verdin assembled a “foundry on wheels” that made the production of the Licking County bell a two-day “out-in-the-open” public event. The bell, molds in the “American” style of the Liberty Bell, is personalized with the county name, forging date, the Great Seal of Ohio and the Bicentennial logo. |
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| August 16, 2002 |
| Molten bronze was poured into the bell mold. Five hundred pounds of bronze bricks, called ingots, were added to the furnace. Over a period of two hours, the furnace was heated to more than 2,000 degrees. While the furnace heated, a personalized bell mold was prepared. The mold, customized for Licking County, was held in place by a mixture of more then 200 pounds of sand, and resin. The mold was contained in a box, called a flask. It was made of steel and weighed more than 500 pounds. Once the molten metal reached a tempersature of 2,200 degrees, it was ready to be poured into the mold. Using a specially designed crane, bell casters transfered the molten metal, first into a ladle and then into the mold. The new bell was allowed to cool overnight. |
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| August 17, 2002 |
| Using a large sledgehammer, the molder’s first swings cracked the hardened, sand-resin mold. The dark, bell-shaped cone of sand, which helped form the bell’s interior was visible at that time. The bell was sandblasted. Over four hours, the bell was polished to a high luster shine. Some sections were treated with stain and polished again to produce a unique contrasting look. The bell was ready, dedicated, and rung for the first time. |
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| BELL FACTS |
- Each Bicentennial bell weighs approximately 250 pounds and stands about 2 feet tall.
- Approximately 12 bronze ingots, each weighing about 40 pounds, was needed for each bell. The ingots are a mixture of 80% copper and 20% tin.
- Bicentennial bells chime an “E” note.
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