The Statue of Liberty sits on New York's horizon, an icon that for over a hundred years has symbolized liberty and America. Today Woman Liberty stands cool and calm in the Hudson Bay, looking over New York Harbor, but so many years on one might wonder where she came from and why she is here. So as to answer these questions we will dig in the History of the Statue of Liberty.
The Statue of Liberty was first intended 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 designated the comradeship that had developed between the two states in the Revolutionary War. Although it was supposed to be completed in 1876, the initial plans didn't work out.
The statue itself was licensed to Sculptor Frederic Auguste Bartholdi, but the complete process was a joint effort from both sides of the pool. Due to a deficit in funds from both countries the project was initially delayed. Fundraisers were held to raise the required money in France to insure the statue would rise on the shore of America. In the meantime on the North American side, the famous publisher Joseph Pulitzer pulled out all 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 Woman Liberty herself wasn't completed for another 8 years.
Once the Statue was complete in France in July of 1884, it took almost a full year to arrive on the coasts of Manhattan Harbor. She made her initial 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 New York in many pieces it needed to be put together, no easy task for a monument so massive. After the 4 month process of assembling the final statue, she was dedicated on October 28, 1886. Though she was meant to be finished for the year 1876, looking back this can be viewed as a minor speed bump in the lengthy history of the Statue of Liberty.
Today folk principally flock to The Big Apple for Statue of Liberty tours. Even today she is an imposing presense and visitors can be gaze up at the big statue and pedestal, which from the base to the end of her torch measures 305 feet 6 inches high. She also weighs a huge 225 tons. For those that want 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 intended 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 designated the comradeship that had developed between the two states in the Revolutionary War. Although it was supposed to be completed in 1876, the initial plans didn't work out.
The statue itself was licensed to Sculptor Frederic Auguste Bartholdi, but the complete process was a joint effort from both sides of the pool. Due to a deficit in funds from both countries the project was initially delayed. Fundraisers were held to raise the required money in France to insure the statue would rise on the shore of America. In the meantime on the North American side, the famous publisher Joseph Pulitzer pulled out all 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 Woman Liberty herself wasn't completed for another 8 years.
Once the Statue was complete in France in July of 1884, it took almost a full year to arrive on the coasts of Manhattan Harbor. She made her initial 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 New York in many pieces it needed to be put together, no easy task for a monument so massive. After the 4 month process of assembling the final statue, she was dedicated on October 28, 1886. Though she was meant to be finished for the year 1876, looking back this can be viewed as a minor speed bump in the lengthy history of the Statue of Liberty.
Today folk principally flock to The Big Apple for Statue of Liberty tours. Even today she is an imposing presense and visitors can be gaze up at the big statue and pedestal, which from the base to the end of her torch measures 305 feet 6 inches high. She also weighs a huge 225 tons. For those that want 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 been fascinated by tours of new york city for a few years. He has written many articles about this topic, including short lived histories and the top most engaging facts. For more information about tours of new york city please visit http://www.nyccitytours.org
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