In Allentown, Zion’s Reformed Church became a crucial Revolutionary War refuge when the State House Bell, later called the Liberty Bell, was hidden beneath its floorboards from September 1777 until June 1778 after Philadelphia was threatened by British occupation. The bell was among eleven removed from the city under orders from Pennsylvania’s Supreme Executive Council and carried toward Bethlehem in wagons guarded by cavalry. The site later housed the Liberty Bell Museum, which interpreted the bell’s wartime concealment along with themes of freedom, patriotism, and local history, and also served as an important center for Allentown’s Flag Day traditions before closing in 2023.

Photo: Wikipedia · Public domain

Photo: Wikipedia · Public domain

Photo: Wikipedia · Public domain

Photo: Wikipedia · Public domain