Queen Elizabeth helped Philly celebrate America's bicentennial in 1976

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- It was July 1976. The City of Philadelphia was celebrating America's bicentennial. And the City of Brotherly Love welcomed a very special guest - Queen Elizabeth II.

The Queen and Prince Philip arrived at Penn's Landing on Tuesday, July 6, 1976. The 412-foot royal yacht Britannia docked and the royal couple made their way on land.

The New York Times reported a crowd estimated at up to 5,000 gathered to see their arrival.

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The Queen was greeted by Philadelphia Mayor Frank Rizzo and Pennsylvania Governor Milton Shapp.

Former U.S. Ambassador to England Walter J. Annenberg was among the dignitaries bowing in recognition of the monarch.

The Queen met with Girl Scouts who were dressed in colonial garb.

The Girl Scouts of America, including National President of Girl Scouts Dr. Gloria Scott, presented a book honoring women of the U.S. to the Queen.

During her visit, the Queen visited City Hall, the Liberty Bell at Independence Hall and the Penn Mutual Building.

The 50-year-old Queen also presented the city with the Bicentennial Bell, a gift of the Government of Great Britain to the United States.

Hobart "Hobie" Cawood, the Superintendent of Independence National Historic Park, was in charge of the park's celebration. He showed Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip a plaque describing the Bicentennial Bell.

The inscription on the bell read:

The bell had been hanging in its bell tower since June 1976, but as the New York Times reported, "her majesty pushed her button as a signal for the bell to be rung the first time."

The National Park Service says:

"Queen Elizabeth II spoke at the dedication ceremony in Independence National Historical Park's Visitor Center on July 6, 1976," the National Park Service said. "She expressed gratitude to America's Founding Fathers for teaching the British 'to respect the right of others to govern themselves in their own way.' Acknowledging a valuable lesson, she emphasized the shared heritage of the principles of the Magna Carta guiding our nations."

The 12,446-pound bell was cast at the Whitechapel Foundry in London, the same company that produced the original Liberty Bell in 1751, the NPS said.

"It seems to me that Independence Day, the Fourth of July, should be celebrated as much in Britain as in America," the Queen said during the ceremony. "Not in rejoicing in the separation of the American colonies from the British crown but in sincere gratitude to the Founding Fathers of the great Republic for having taught Britain a very valuable lesson.

"...On the side of the Bicentennial Bell are the words 'Let Freedom Ring.' It is a message in which both our people can join and which I hope will be heard around the world for centuries to come."

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The Bicentennial Bell rang out at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. for many years from its tower at the former Visitor Center on 3rd Street between Chestnut and Walnut streets.

The bell was placed in storage in 2013 to clear space to build the Museum of the American Revolution.

Independence Historical Trust and Independence National Historical Park are partnering to renovate a garden at the corner of 3rd and Walnut streets to be the future home of the Bicentennial Bell.

The goal is to have this project finished and open to the public before America's 250th anniversary in 2026.

After the bell ceremony, the Queen walked to Carpenters Hall, as the New York Times reported, "through the crowd estimated by the National Park Service at 75,000 people, stopping to talk to people in the sweating enthusiastic and often flag-waving crowd as she went."

She then entered the First Bank Building, where Temple University student Helaine Myzel, who was also a young Park Service ranger, opened the door for the Queen.

"I'm thrilled," Myzel told the New York Times that day. "I'll be able to tell my grandchildren I opened the door for the Queen."

The New York Times reported the Queen completed her visit with a dinner for 400 people and a reception for 600 given by the City of Philadelphia at the Museum of Art.