The
Kaskaskia Bell State Memorial is a brick building that houses a
bell cast in 1741 by King Louis XV (1710-1774) of France as a gift
to the Catholic Church of the Illinois Country. Originally located
at the Immaculate Conception Parish at Kaskaskia, the bell was rung
by villagers to celebrate their July 4, 1778 liberation from the
British by American Colonel George Rogers Clark (1752-1818). It
became known as the “Liberty Bell of the West.” The
Memorial also contains murals depicting scenes from Kaskaskia history.
An annual Independence Day program celebrates the July 4, 1778
capture of Kaskaskia by Virginia troops commanded by George Rogers
Clark during the Revolutionary War. Contact the Fort Kaskaskia site
for details.
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