The Wheat Liberty Bell

By Staff
Published on May 1, 1976

Box 253, Mound Ridge, Kansas 67107

A hundred years ago our country celebrated its centennial with
an international exposition in Philadelphia. Kansas participated in
this event with an agricultural exhibit which attracted the most
attention. One of the exhibits was a Liberty Bell covered with
grasses and broomcorn brush, 8’9′ in diameter and
8’6′ high. The clapper was made of several gourds totaling
6′ in length.

During this bicentennial celebration the Smithsonian Institution
is endeavoring to re-enact a similar scene, only on a smaller
scale. How does Goessel get involved in this display? Well, in
August of 1974, the Smithsonian Institution inquired whether our
local historical organization would arrange to plant some Turkey
Red Wheat. They asked for 45 bundles, hand tied with straw as was
the method of a hundred years ago. This request was accepted and
the bundles are ready for shipment. (The first Appleby binder came
later, in 1876)

In March, 1975 there was a second request – would the
organization construct a Liberty Bell made with wheat. The size
would be left to our discretion. The challenge was accepted,
realizing, however, that the project would entail an enormous
amount of work. It was agreed to make the bell 6′ in diameter
and 6′ high. The wheat for the bell was cut with the McCormick
reaper. About a pickup truckload of wheat was used to make the
bell.

The bell skeleton was constructed by Wesley Duerksen, a local
young man, a tool designer for Hesston Corporation. He used
3/8′ hydraulic fluid tubing for the vertical pieces and
1/4′ tubing for the horizontal ones. This was covered with
chicken wire netting. The vertical tubing (spaced 20 degrees) would
not conform to the properly contoured jig, it would always spring
back, consequently, all had to be bent by hand. Time consumption
for this was about 50 hours.

Following is a description of procedure in the weaving process:
The stalks of wheat were broken just above the top joint and the
excess leaves removed. The heads were clipped and the straw soaked
in warm water for 20 minutes to make it more pliable.

The weaving was a very tedious task and involved a lot of help.
175 to 200 people participated in the cleaning and weaving phase
(equivalent to 1500 to 2000 man hours). Since the clapper formation
required technical skill, people who had taught classes in wheat
weaving at Bethel College, North Newton, volunteered to weave this
6′ clapper.

The lettering of the inscription (Leviticus 25:10) was done with
actual wheat berries mounted on a background of cracked wheat. The
letters are accented with black thread. This banner, as well as the
bell’s crack of darkened wheat was designed and assembled by
Marie and Martha Voth, twin sisters from the local community, who
are nurses at Bethel Hospital, Newton.

Sincere appreciation is extended to all who had a part in making
this magnificent piece of art. In addition to those already
mentioned, special recognition is hereby given to Hesston
Corporation for furnishing some materials; the ladies who wove the
clapper – Mrs. Lucille Brubacher, Mrs. Carolyn Schultz, Mrs. Adelia
Stucky; and to Wesley and Donna Duerksen, who gave unceasingly of
their time to make the Liberty Bell become a reality.

The bell will be on display in the Wheat Palace until Feb. 20.
After that it will be crated by the Bekin Van Line of Wichita and
transported on air suspension cushions to Washington D.C. It will
remain on display the next two years. At that time it should be
brought back to the Wheat Palace for permanent display.

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