In 1950, a reproduction of the Liberty Bell was presented to the people of Maine by direction of Secretary of the Treasury John W. Snyder as the inspirational symbol of the United States Savings Bonds Independence Drive, and from May 15 to July 4 it was displayed in every part of the state. Its dimensions and tone were identical to those of the original Liberty Bell as it rang out American independence in 1776. One of fifty-three bells cast in France in 1950 and given to the United States Government by major metal companies, with steel supports by U.S. Steel Corporation's American Bridge Company, it stood as a symbol of individual freedom and the principles for which the nation stands.
