Re: liberty architecture moving to ground zero?
2003.04.21 10:50
You might just be absolutely right that it is up to me to save the Liberty Bell Pavilion, because it is becoming increasing clear that the Liberty Bell Pavilion's true destiny/destination is actually quondam.
Gone now are the days when you can ride your bike through the arcades of Independence Hall and drink from the now gone water fountains therein, best tasting water in Philadelphia too.
Gone too are the days when you can just casually walk into Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell Pavilion, like during a lunch break, and just look around.
I hadn't been inside Independence Hall probably in 25 years until yesterday, and I definitely did not remember how realistically grand it is in there. Noticing the distinct coloring of the two marble surrounds within the room where the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution were signed gave the rest of my visit to Independence National Historic Park a further theme--the hunt for more King of Prussia marble was on.
The Second Bank of the United States--the austere Doric temple by William Strickland which is very likely the prototype for all US banks that look like ancient Greek temples--is constructed of King of Prussia marble. An older guide within Congress Hall, where the Senate and House of Representatives convened when Philadelphia was the US Capital, 1790-1800, said King of Prussia marble is "blue." Well, not blue like the sky, rather blue in aura. From the looks of it, the front facade of the First Bank of the United States and the whole of the Merchant Exchange, the first stock exchange building in the US, is King of Prussia marble.
The Visitor Center of Independence National Historic Park designed and constructed for the 1976 Bicentennial is adjacent the First Bank of the US and the Merchant Exchange, and now a Park Service storage facility, being last year replaced by the new Visitors Center on Independence Mall. The tower housing the Bicentennial Bell is here. Apparently, the bell is ringing again, and oddly I'm now hoping the Bicentennial Bell stays here for a very long time. At least it is far away from the present 'theme park' constructions soon to be all finished at Independence Mall (hence the forthcoming razing of the 1976 Liberty Bell Pavilion).
Despite all the many new tourist trappings, including some strict security checkpoints, in and around Independence National Historic Park, I still very much enjoy being there because I increasing go there with quondam as my guide.
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