Why is the Liberty Bell cracked, and why didn’t they just fix it?

Ah, the Liberty Bell—the most famously broken piece of history in the United States. The crack you see today is actually the result of several cracks. The bell was originally cast in 1752 in London, but it cracked almost immediately after arriving in Philadelphia. Not a great start. Local founders John Pass and John Stow recast it—twice—using the original metal, which is like trying to fix a leaky roof with the same broken shingles. Still, they got it hanging in Independence Hall, where it was rung to mark significant events, like the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Somewhere along the way (probably during the 1830s), it cracked again, perhaps under the strain of too much patriotism. By 1846, an attempt to repair it with a widening of the crack actually made it worse, leaving us with the zig-zag fracture we know and love today. Fixing it now? Out of the question! That imperfection is its charm—proof that even icons don’t have to be flawless to symbolize something extraordinary. Plus, what’s more American than celebrating a relic that stubbornly refuses to be perfect?