The USS MAINE Memorial Bells!
1901 Version
Contributed by Bill Nelson
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to learn more about the Spanish American War
Click here to see the
1904 version
A unique piece (or pieces, really) of USS MAINE
memorabilia that appears from time to time are the bells made from metal
from the USS MAINE. Bronze from the wrecked
vessel was used to create a number of items, including several series of
bronze bells. The bell below is from the first series produced, which were
made to be sold at the Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo, held in 1901.
Coincidentally, it was while visiting this exposition that President William
McKinley was fatally wounded by Leon Czolgosz. Literally, this bell
may have tolled for him!
The handle of the bell reads "Remember the MAINE/
Designed for the Pan American Exposition Buffalo 1901.
When the bells were offered for sale, each was fitted with a red,
white and blue ribbon.
If you click on the image of the bell,
you will hear a recording of the bell ringing. It was recently recorded
by Bill Nelson to commemorate the 100th Anniversary of the Treaty of
Paris, formally ending the Spanish American War. The recording is a 55k
.wav file. If you cannot click and play the recording, save it and then
play it through your "sound recorder" program included in your Windows
multimedia package!
Nelson, Bill (personal correspondence)
McClure, Alexander K., and Charles Morris, Lld., The Authentic
Life of William McKinley. (Washington DC: W. E. Scull, 1901).
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