Independent Man to be taken down from State House for historic repair
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WJAR) — Gov. Dan McKee announced on Friday that the Independent Man will be removed from the State House dome for a historic restoration process.
“For the first time in nearly 50 years, and only the second time in the state’s history, the Independent Man will touch down on Rhode Island ground for restoration,” McKee said at a news conference.
Officials said the decision came after the State House team captured drone footage on Tuesday that showed damage to the dome that holds the statue. They were documenting the exterior of the building for a cleaning and restoration project.
Director of the Department of Administration Jonathan Womer said that the dome did not have damage in the drone footage from January and that it is “quite possible” that the weather has caused the damage.
McKee said work crews started to work Friday morning and that officials hope to secure the statue before another storm hits.
The plan is eventually have the 500-pound statue taken down.
“The Independent Man is an iconic symbol of our state and a source of pride for all Rhode Islanders,” said McKee. “The statue has weathered decades of storms, blizzards and hurricanes, and it is important that we use this opportunity to invest in the People’s House and preserve the Independent Man for generations of Rhode Islanders and visitors to enjoy.”
Officials said they don't yet know how much the project will cost and that the project can take about a year to complete.
NBC 10's Katie Benoit and Amanda Bang contributed to this article.