The Statue of Liberty sits on New York's horizon, an icon that for more than a hundred years has symbolized freedom and America. Today Woman Freedom stands cool and calm in the Hudson Bay, looking over Manhattan Harbour, but so many years later one might wonder where she came from and why she is here. So as to answer these questions we will delve in the History of the Statue of Liberty.
The Statue of Liberty was first meant as a present to the Northern Americans from the French. It was to mark the hundredth year of the Declaration of Independence. The present also designated the comradeship that had developed between the 2 states in the Revolutionary War. Even though it was meant to be completed in 1876, the original plans didn't work out.
The statue itself was commissioned to Sculptor Frederic Auguste Bartholdi, but the complete process was a joint effort from either side of the pond. Because of a deficit in funds from both states the project was at first delayed. Fundraisers were held to raise the needed money in France to insure the statue would rise on the edge of America. In the meantime on the American side, the famous publisher Joseph Pulitzer pulled out all of the stops with his paper "The World" to urge the North American folks step up to the plate. Eventually the money was raised to assemble the pedestal that the Statue of Liberty would later stand on. The Statue of Liberty's history was still in progress though, and Woman Liberty herself was not finished 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 Big Apple Harbor. She made her 1st debut in June of 1885. She had traveled from France to America in 214 crates holding 350 separate pieces aboard the frigate called "Isere." Once the statue had ultimately arrived in NY in several pieces it needed to be put together, no simple task for a monument so sizeable. After the 4 month process of building 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 regarded as a minor speed bump in the established history of the Statue of Liberty.
Today folks principally flock to The Big Apple for Statue of Liberty tours. Even today she's an impressive 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 big 225 tons. For people that need to climb and peer out over the gigantic 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 Northern Americans from the French. It was to mark the hundredth year of the Declaration of Independence. The present also designated the comradeship that had developed between the 2 states in the Revolutionary War. Even though it was meant to be completed in 1876, the original plans didn't work out.
The statue itself was commissioned to Sculptor Frederic Auguste Bartholdi, but the complete process was a joint effort from either side of the pond. Because of a deficit in funds from both states the project was at first delayed. Fundraisers were held to raise the needed money in France to insure the statue would rise on the edge of America. In the meantime on the American side, the famous publisher Joseph Pulitzer pulled out all of the stops with his paper "The World" to urge the North American folks step up to the plate. Eventually the money was raised to assemble the pedestal that the Statue of Liberty would later stand on. The Statue of Liberty's history was still in progress though, and Woman Liberty herself was not finished 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 Big Apple Harbor. She made her 1st debut in June of 1885. She had traveled from France to America in 214 crates holding 350 separate pieces aboard the frigate called "Isere." Once the statue had ultimately arrived in NY in several pieces it needed to be put together, no simple task for a monument so sizeable. After the 4 month process of building 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 regarded as a minor speed bump in the established history of the Statue of Liberty.
Today folks principally flock to The Big Apple for Statue of Liberty tours. Even today she's an impressive 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 big 225 tons. For people that need to climb and peer out over the gigantic harbor that so many rejoiced in reaching, the staircase within is 154 steps up to her head.
About the Author:
Jeff Myers has been interested in tours of new york city for many years. He has written many articles about this subject, including transient histories and the top most interesting facts. For the details about tours of new york city come and visit http://www.nyccitytours.org
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