The Statue of Liberty sits on New York's horizon, an icon that for more than a hundred years has designated freedom and America. Today Lady Freedom stands cool and calm in the Hudson Bay, looking over Manhattan Harbour, but so many years after one might wonder where she came from and why she's here. To answer these questions we will dig in the History of the Statue of Liberty.
The Statue of Liberty was first meant as a present to the US citizens from the French. It was to mark the hundredth year of the Declaration of Independence. The gift also symbolized the comradeship that had developed between the two countries in the Revolutionary War. Although it was supposed to be finished in 1876, the initial plans did not work out.
The statue itself was commissioned to Sculptor Frederic Auguste Bartholdi, but the entire process was a joint effort from each side of the pond. Because of a deficit in funds from both nations the project was initially delayed. Fundraisers were held to raise the needed money in France to insure the statue would rise on the shore of America. Meanwhile on the North American side, the famous publisher Joseph Pulitzer pulled out all of the stops with his newspaper "The World" to help the American people step up to the plate. Ultimately the money was raised to assemble the pedestal the Statue of Liberty would later stand on. The Statue of Liberty's history was still in progress though, and Lady Freedom herself wasn't completed for another 8 years.
Once the Statue was complete in France in July of 1884, it took almost a complete year to arrive on the shores of Manhattan Harbor. She made her 1st debut in June of 1885. She had traveled from France to America in 214 crates holding 350 separate pieces on board the frigate called "Isere." Once the statue had ultimately arrived in NY in many pieces it wanted to be put together, no simple task for a monument so large. After the four month process of assembling the final statue, she was dedicated on October 28, 1886. Although she was meant to be completed for the year 1876, looking back this can be viewed as a minor speed bump in the long history of the Statue of Liberty.
Today people principally flock to The Big Apple for Statue of Liberty tours. Even today she is an grand presense and visitors can be gawk up at the large statue and pedestal, which from the base to the top of her torch measures 305 feet 6 inches in height. She also weighs a huge 225 tons. For those that wish to climb and peer out over the vast harbor that so many rejoiced in reaching, the staircase within is 154 steps up to her head.
The Statue of Liberty was first meant as a present to the US citizens from the French. It was to mark the hundredth year of the Declaration of Independence. The gift also symbolized the comradeship that had developed between the two countries in the Revolutionary War. Although it was supposed to be finished in 1876, the initial plans did not work out.
The statue itself was commissioned to Sculptor Frederic Auguste Bartholdi, but the entire process was a joint effort from each side of the pond. Because of a deficit in funds from both nations the project was initially delayed. Fundraisers were held to raise the needed money in France to insure the statue would rise on the shore of America. Meanwhile on the North American side, the famous publisher Joseph Pulitzer pulled out all of the stops with his newspaper "The World" to help the American people step up to the plate. Ultimately the money was raised to assemble the pedestal the Statue of Liberty would later stand on. The Statue of Liberty's history was still in progress though, and Lady Freedom herself wasn't completed for another 8 years.
Once the Statue was complete in France in July of 1884, it took almost a complete year to arrive on the shores of Manhattan Harbor. She made her 1st debut in June of 1885. She had traveled from France to America in 214 crates holding 350 separate pieces on board the frigate called "Isere." Once the statue had ultimately arrived in NY in many pieces it wanted to be put together, no simple task for a monument so large. After the four month process of assembling the final statue, she was dedicated on October 28, 1886. Although she was meant to be completed for the year 1876, looking back this can be viewed as a minor speed bump in the long history of the Statue of Liberty.
Today people principally flock to The Big Apple for Statue of Liberty tours. Even today she is an grand presense and visitors can be gawk up at the large statue and pedestal, which from the base to the top of her torch measures 305 feet 6 inches in height. She also weighs a huge 225 tons. For those that wish to climb and peer out over the vast harbor that so many rejoiced in reaching, the staircase within is 154 steps up to her head.
About the Author:
Jeff Myers has had an interest in tours of new york city for many years. He has written many articles about this subject, including brief histories and the top most fascinating facts. For more info about tours of new york city come visit http://www.nyccitytours.org