The Statue of Liberty

The Statue of Liberty was designed by the French sculptor Frederic Auguste Bartholdi as a gift to The United States of America for the friendship established between the two countries in the American Revolutionary War.  In years since it’s conception, the Statue of Liberty has come to symbolize both freedom and democracy.

The plan was to have the statue designed and built for the centennial anniversary of the American Declaration of Independence in July 1876.  The Americans were responsible for funding and constructing the pedestal upon which the statue would rest.  The French were responsible for the funding, design, and construction of the statue in America.  Bartholdi commissioned French engineer Gustave Eiffel (Eiffel Tower) to design the interior steel structure upon which the outer copper skin would be fastened to.  

Funding problems led to delays on both sides of the ocean.  It wasn’t until October 28, 1886 that the Statue of Liberty was unveiled and dedicated by President Grover Cleveland Alexander.  Lady Liberty, as the statue is sometimes referred to, stands 151 feet in height.  The statue is located on Liberty Island, in New York Harbor.  Lady Liberty has welcomed millions of European immigrants to the United States, bearing her torch of freedom in her right hand and a tablet bearing the date of July 4, 1776 in her left hand.

The National Park Service is now responsible for preserving the Statue of Liberty.  Restoration of both inner structure and outer copper skin began in 1984 and was completed on July 5, 1986.  The interior was closed to visitors after the September 2001 attacks and has remained closed to the present time.