The History of the Statue of Liberty

The Statue of Liberty was a gift to the United States from France in 1886. The statue is a robed woman holding a flamed torch in her raised right hand and a tablet in her left hand. She stands 305 feet tall which includes the foundation and pedestal. Until the jet age, she was the first sight seen by millions of immigrants arriving by ship from Europe. Today she welcomes all including immigrants, visitors and returning Americans.

Edouard Rene de Laboulaye wanted a suitable gift for the United States to mark the Centennial of the American Declaration of Independence. He wanted to recognize the friendship that had formed between the United States and France during the American Revolution. Frederic Auguste Bartholdi was the sculptor, Alexandre Gustave Eiffel engineered the internal structures and Eugene Viollet-le-Duc chose copper for her construction and used the repousse technique for shaping the metal.

The creation of the Statue of Liberty was a joint effort between the United States and France. France built and then assembled the statue in the United States, and America built the pedestal. The original completion date was set for 1876. Both countries found financing a problem and only after many forms of fund raising did they finally have the required funds. The Statue was dedicated on October 28, 1886.

The Statue of Liberty, a gift of friendship, has come to mean so much more. Many see the statue as a symbol of Democracy and pride. To the many who found Americas’ shores open to their immigration, the statue represents freedom. She is walking forward, trampling broken shackles, and representing freedom from oppression and tyranny. The tablet represents the importance of historical events, the power of knowledge and solidifying this knowledge amongst the citizens. The torch represents enlightenment. She welcomes all who seek friendship and freedom.