Jefferson Memorial bell celebrates 250 years of U.S.

For those who remember 1976, the name for next year’s celebration of American independence doesn’t roll off the tongue quite as easily as “bicentennial.”

“Since my Latin was lacking, I had to go look up what a semiquincentennial celebration is,” Harry Neel, president of Jefferson Memorial Cemetery and Funeral Home in Pleasant Hills, said. “‘Semi’ means half. ‘Quin’ means five. ‘Centennial’ is 100. So that means one-half of 500 years, or 250. Now you’re all educated in Latin.”

Neal spoke in the cemetery’s Jefferson Mausoleum prior to the unveiling of an artistic endeavor on behalf of Bells Across PA, part of the America250PA initiative to mark the nation’s anniversary.

Artist Scott Saloney of Mt. Washington submitted the winning design for the Jefferson bell, called “Windows Into History,” which commemorates some of the many architectural and historical features within the cemetery. The unveiling took place Thursday against the backdrop of a stained-glass mural depicting the signing of the Declaration of Independence, which, of course, took place in Pennsylvania.

Bells Across PA’s goal is to have at least one such piece placed in each of the state’s 67 counties.

“These fiberglass bells may not ring, but they’re far from silent,” Bri Farrand, America250PA director of branding and design, said. “Each one tells a story of community, creativity and pride.”

Neel explained the impetus behind Saloney’s creation.

“The sponsors get to design the bell to their personal or local history,” he said. “For Jefferson Memorial, we have highlighted just a few of the many artifacts that we have collected in our 96-year history.”

As such, the bell depicts elements including:

• Thomas Jefferson Garden Mausoleum, with its historic 32-foot-high hand-cut Corinthian granite columns

• Beam’s Log Cabin, built circa 1780 on the property and rebuilt to the original size, using eight of the original logs and the original rafters

• Drummer Boy bronze statue honoring young musicians who signaled commands during the Civil War

• Garden of the Temple, which pays homage to Classical Greek and Roman columns

• Last Supper Pond, containing reflecting pools suggestive of the Biblical Brook of Cedron in Jerusalem

• The 10-foot statue of Thomas Jefferson that stands in the mausoleum, sculpted by Pittsburgh artist Frank Vittor, also renowned for his statue of Pirates legend Honus Wagner at PNC Park

Wagner, a charter member of the Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, is buried at Jefferson.

“Cemeteries are a place for the living as well as the dead, for the solitude of a beautiful landscape for those walking, jogging, relaxing or those seeking out their family heritage or history,” Neel said.

William Henderson, West Jefferson Hills School District assistant superintendent, spoke about the relevance of Pennsylvania celebrating the semiquincentennial.

“Pennsylvania has always been a birthplace of bold ideas. Today’s artists, our students, community members and professionals continue that legacy by interpreting our history in ways that resonate deeply with audiences of all ages,” he said. “Their work reminds us that the heart is one of the most meaningful ways we preserve memories, celebrate culture and reflect on who we are as people.”

State Sen. Devlin Robinson, R-Bridgeville, offered the reminder that a prime motivator for American independence was the British governor taxing colonists to help finance the French and Indian War.

“What was that fought over? George Washington fought over the forts of the Ohio country,” he said, referencing the river of vital 18th-century importance. “So it can be said that there would be no United States without Pittsburgh.”

Regarding Bells Across PA projects, Saloney also designed a piece unveiled earlier in December at the Heinz History Center. That bell, showcasing a view of Pittsburgh’s skyline from Mt. Washington, was sponsored by Paul Gitnik, general counsel and director of strategic planning for Jefferson Memorial and one of the three members of the Pennsylvania Board of Finance and Revenue.

For more information, visit america250pa.org.