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Statue of Liberty
The Statue of Liberty is one of the most
recognizable symbols of freedom in the entire world. Over 100 years old, it has been a
beacon of welcome for all those entering the United States through New York
Harbor. It was given to the United States by the people of France in recognition
of the friendship between the two nations that was cemented with the aid given
by France to the colonies during the American
Revolution. The French were to design and assemble the statue, the Americans
to fund and build the pedestal.
Statue of Liberty Facts:
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Height: 151'1"
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Ground to torch tip: 350'1"
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7 rays in crown represent the seas and
continents
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Tablet reads "July 4, 1776"
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Total weight: copper, 31 tons; steel, 125
tons; concrete foundation, 27 tons
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Winds of 50 mph cause sway of 3" in statue
and 5" in torch
Statue of Liberty History:
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French sculptor Frederic Auguste Bartholdi
was commissioned to design the statue to commemorate the centennial of the
Declaration of Independence in 1876
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Alexandre Gustave Eiffel, designer of the
Eiffel Tower, was
called on for engineering help in designing the iron pylon and secondary
skeletal framework for the massive copper statue allowing the copper skin to
move independently but stand upright
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Arrived aboard the steamship Isère in June of
1885 in 350 individual pieces packed in 214 crates and reassembled in 4 months
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Granite pedestal completed in Aril, 1886, in
the courtyard of the star-shaped walls of Fort Wood (which had been
completed for the War of 1812.)
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Dedicated on October 28, 1886
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Designated a National Monument on October 15,
1924
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September 7, 1937, jurisdiction was enlarged
to encompass all of Bedloe's Island and in 1956, the island's name was
changed to Liberty Island
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May 11, 1965: Ellis Island becomes part of
the Statue of Liberty National Monument
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$87 million restoration completed for her
spectacular centennial on July 4, 1986
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Liberty Island is federal property located
within the State of New York
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World Heritage Site - 1984
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Liberty Island was closed for 100 days
following 9/11/2001. Statue reopened 8/3/2004. Visitors have access to
pedestal observation deck, promenade, museum and the area of Fort Wood
Statue of Liberty Gifts
Pictures of the Statue of Liberty
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