10 Facts about the Statue of Liberty

The Statue of Liberty, a gift from the people of France, firstly arrived in New York. It became one of the most appreciated and iconic structures in America. It was the exact representation of the American ideals for the people coming to the USA throughout history. For all that immigrants passing by the halls of Ellis Island, the Statue of Liberty was their first priority. Around more than 130 years presiding over New York Harbor, this Lady Liberty has gone through some changes and updates. Check out the 10 surprising facts of Statue of Liberty which you might not know of.

Table of Contents

List of 10 surprising facts of Statue of Liberty

List of 10 surprising facts of Statue of Liberty

How New York City Tradition got inspired by the Statue of Liberty’s Dedication

The Statue of Liberty proved a great dedication to other uniquely New York Institution – ticker-tape parade. The office workers of New York decided to spread out financial ribbons from the windows on 29th October 1886. This was the day when President Grover Cleveland was the authorized person at the dedication ceremony.

The Statue’s Pedestal served as a Home to Military families

The star-shaped Fort Wood, a portion of the statue’s pedestal accommodated military families from 1818 till the middle of the 1930s. Moreover, there were young children like Pete Bluhm in these military families. They recalled to The New York Times on 4^th July 2012 where G.I.s. bounced off bottle rockets from Lady Liberty’s posterior. Likewise, James Hill thought of dropping baseballs with his sister from Liberty’s crown to check the height of bouncing.

Securing a friendship between the United States

Of course, covered with symbolism, however, there was a genuine purpose for Lady Liberty to enter the States. France had exported this famous statue. The creation of lady Liberty was a means to officially strengthen the friendship between France and America. Equally important, this massive statue was a thing of the display at the World’s Fair.

A Functioning Lighthouse

Despite a symbolic beacon, this Lady Liberty was a very literal beacon for the traveling people. Two years after its first appearance in the New York Harbor, this massive copper statue got doubled as a lighthouse. Then, it continued that role for 16 years. However, this structure was not best at her work and got shot off because her light was too dim for ships.

Lady Liberty has Huge Feet

You may be wondering to have big feet but the Statue of Liberty was something different. This Lady Liberty wears a shoe of size 879 which indicates that she weighs 225 tons. From base to torch, this massive structure is 305 feet and 1 inch tall.

Lady Liberty is an Icon

Around 4.5 million people travel to the United States to have a look of this Statue every year. If you have already visited the Lady Liberty, now it’s time to check out the stunning structure of Liberty Museum. This museum got opened in May 2019. People will not only get a new experience of Lady Liberty but also its history in that new museum.

The Statue came to New York in Pieces

The statue was not able to transport in one big piece due to its huge size. The best idea which France decided to transport Lady Liberty was in different pieces. How many pieces? This Statue arrived at Bedloe Island in 350 pieces.

Much Symbolism on the Statue

There was a ton of symbolism connected with Lady Liberty. The crown on her head has 7 rays which indicate the 7 seas and continents. The torch was a sign of enlightenment and the tablet in her other hand represents the inscription JULY IVMDCCL XXVI. Again, this was the formal day of American Independence.

Lady Liberty – A Model on a Real Person

Frederic Bartholdi wanted to give his mother the world’s best gift. So, he decided to use his mother Charlotte, as the model for the world-famous statue across the globe. This launched in 1876 when Frederic requested French Senator Jules Bozerian to attend his box at the opera. Bozerian got amazed to find a real-life version of the Lady Liberty sitting in the box when he shifted the curtain.

The Iconic Green Color

The green color on the Statue of Liberty is not exactly the original color. That iconic green color is an effect of copper’s oxidation process. The structure was having a reddish-brown color, the same color which you can get on the American penny. That iconic green color would have developed on the statue over the years.