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Oklahoma Capitol Architects Discover Giant Hidden Doors

Architects working on renovations to the Oklahoma Capitol have discovered two giant hidden doors on the south side of the building.

The nearly 20-foot-tall sheet metal doors with cast-iron decorations were rolled into compartments behind the building's limestone facade and apparently haven't been used in more than 20 years.

Vance Kelley of Treanor Architects says the doors were found Tuesday by a team working on the building's exterior. Kelley says he believes the doors were opened and closed using a pulley-and-cable system.

A longtime employee of the building's maintenance division told project officials the doors used to be closed each night as a security measure.

The building's south entrance atop the grand south staircase has been closed for more than a decade since several entrances were closed.

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