(National Park Service) Release Date: February 13, 2012 Philadelphia:On February 18, 2012, the Centennial Bell that hangs in Independence Hall Tower will chime the hour once again, inviting all Philadelphia residents and visitors to come out and see the newly restored national icon. Independence NHP Superintendent Cynthia MacLeod will welcome Mayor Michael Nutter and Congressman Chaka Fattah to join her in cutting the ribbon for the completed project. The program will start at 4:30 p.m. and culminate in a ribbon-cutting and bell ringing at 5:00 p.m. All visitors and residents are invited to join the city and the park for the ceremony, which can be viewed from Independence Mall, across the street from Independence Hall. After the ribbon-cutting ceremony, Independence Hall will be kept open for tours until 6 p.m. Funded by $4.4 million in stimulus funds under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, the rehabilitation project began in July 2010. This rehabilitation project has successfully repaired significant deterioration and decay that has occurred over the years to the tower's exterior skin and structural framing, preserving the historic integrity of this World Heritage designated site. Under the stewardship of the National Park Service, Independence Hall has been restored whenever possible to its original late-18th century appearance, inside and out. A unit of the National Park Service, Independence National Historical Park was created by an Act of Congress on June 28, 1948. The park is open from 9:00 am daily with the exception of Christmas day. At the Independence Visitor Center, located at 6th and Market Streets, visitors can pick up a park brochure, park map, and the free, timed tickets required for Independence Hall. For more information visit the park's website, https://www.nps.gov/inde or follow us at twitter.com/independencenhp. |
Last updated: February 26, 2015