Kaskaskia Bell Shrine and the Liberty Bell of the West

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The bell was rung as the island was captured from the British during the Revolutionary War by Col. George Rogers Clark and his "Long Knives."

The Kaskaskia Bell State Memorial houses a bell cast in 1741 by King Louis XV of France, originally gifted to the Catholic Church of Illinois. The bell rang to celebrate Kaskaskia’s July 4, 1778, liberation by Colonel George Rogers Clark during the Revolutionary War. Known as the “Liberty Bell of the West,” it is displayed in a brick memorial with murals depicting Kaskaskia’s history. The site is located in Kaskaskia, accessible via the Missouri side of the Mississippi River. Visitors can view the bell through a locked gate, with a button for an audio recording. The site is open for self-guided tours daily, from sunrise to sunset.

The Kaskaskia Bell State Memorial is accessible via a wheelchair ramp, with nearby parking available on First Street for easier access.