Gov. Ron DeSantis delivered a replica of the Liberty Bell to Liberty County on Wednesday as part of Florida’s celebration of the nation’s 250th anniversary. DeSantis presented the replica of the Old State House Bell in Philadelphia at Liberty County High School in Bristol, marking another milestone in the state’s American 250 commemoration effort.
Speaking at the event, DeSantis urged Floridians to reflect on the nation’s founding. “Two hundred and fifty should cause us to look back to 1776 and one, appreciate the fact that we’ve inherited a very momentous legacy of liberty,” DeSantis said. He encouraged residents to consider what the Founding Fathers risked, what they sought to achieve, and how those lessons apply to modern America.
The Liberty Bell delivery is one of several recent milestones in the American 250 initiative. DeSantis also announced that a statue of Spanish conquistador Juan Ponce de Leon, credited with leading the first European expedition to Florida, was recently installed in the first floor rotunda of the State Capitol. On Tuesday, DeSantis unveiled a statue of President Abraham Lincoln in The Villages.
The governor has been placing statues and historical items across Florida counties tied to their namesakes and historical figures. Previous installations include statues of President George Washington at the State Capitol and in Washington County, President Thomas Jefferson in Jefferson County, President James Monroe in Monroe County, Alexander Hamilton in Hamilton County, and Benjamin Franklin in Franklin County. Additional statues unveiled under the American 250 effort include President Ronald Reagan at Florida International University, President Calvin Coolidge at Bok Tower Gardens in Lake Wales, and abolitionist Frederick Douglass in St. Augustine.
While the Liberty Bell delivery took place in Liberty County, the broader American 250 celebration spans all of Florida, including Hernando, Pasco, and Citrus counties. Residents across the region are encouraged to follow the ongoing commemoration through the Florida Governor’s Office and local events marking the nation’s 250th anniversary. For more coverage of the initiative, visit the Hernando Sun.
Originally reported by Hernando Sun
Sources: Hernando Sun
