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Independence Hall Gets A Life-Size Stand-In

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - Even though there is scaffolding on all four sides of Independence Hall for the restoration of the iconic building's tower, visitors will still be able to pose for photos on the mall with the image of the building in the background -- thanks to decorative panels being put into place this week.

The scaffoldings started to go up in July. Now, scrims are being put into place in front of the scaffolding, to hide the structure a bit and make the historic site a bit more photogenic.

The scrims are a gift from The Friends of Independence National Historical Park. The group raised nearly $40,000 for the artwork, which has great detail.

Jane Cowley, spokeswoman for Independence National Historical Park, says, "The drawing on the scrim is taken from the architectural line drawings of the tower itself, and the friends also put together signage that will be available to be seen on Independence Square or across the street that explains the history of these drawings."

The north and south sides are colored with bricks, windows, and wooden trim that looks very close to the real thing.  On the east and west sides the scrim is in blue and white, a blueprint image of the tower.

The restoration project is expected to be completed in the fall of next year.

Reported by John McDevitt, KYW Newsradio 1060.

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