133. Facts That You Might Not Know About the Statue of Liberty

The first face that many late 19th and early 20th century immigrants to the United States saw upon entering her waters was that of the Statue of Liberty. Her solemn eyes and iconic countenance promises the hope of a new life for those leaving one of despair. As America welcomed the tired, the poor, and the huddled masses, our Lady Liberty, graciously given by the French over 120 years ago, has raised her torch as a beacon of hope for those New York bound passengers.

Formally called Liberty Enlightening the World, this world-renown statue has been a symbol of freedom throughout the world. And for millions of immigrants, she represented their new home, one filled with possibilities and yet, at the same time, fraught with anxiety. Many came penniless, or nearly so, hungry, and beaten down, longing for change and hoping upon hope that their tomorrows in this new land would outshine their yesterdays.

Here are some facts that you might not know about this great statue:

• The statue was assembled twice. The statue was designed by Frenchman Auguste Bartholdi. After designing smaller scale working models, he and his crew built the full-size statue in Paris. Once fully built, the statue was disassembled, crated up, and shipped across the Atlantic for re-assembly in the United States.



• Civil War General Sherman selected the statue's location. General William Tecumseh Sherman, Union leader during the U.S. Civil War who famously conducted his "march to the sea" to help end the war, was appointed to select the site for the statue. He chose Bedloe's Island, later renamed Liberty Island, as the location.



• The statue functioned as a lighthouse. In 1886, U.S. President, Grover Cleveland, ordered that the statue serve as a lighthouse. After several failed attempts using the then-new electrical technology, the electric arc lights were eventually lit and were able to be seen from a distance of 24 miles away. The statue functioned as a lighthouse for the next 16 years, until March 1, 1902.



• The statue was the tallest iron structure ever erected. In 1886, when the statue was assembled, Lady Liberty was the tallest iron structure ever built. Even though the outside is clad with copper sheets, an iron infrastructure was used to create the framework of the statue. Designed and created by Gustave Eiffel, the inner framework served as a sort of proving grounds for his later iron creation, the Eiffel Tower.



• The copper "skin" is only 3/32ths of an inch thick. The copper cladding that covers the statue is surprisingly thin. Since the weight of the structure is carried by its internal framework, the metalsmiths were able to reduce the thickness of the copper. The copper sheets were originally 1/2-inch thick, but were hammered down the 3/32ths of an inch during construction, which is less than the thickness of 2 U.S. pennies.



• The U.S. Congress once appropriated money to paint the statue. In 1906, the Congress of the United States voted to appropriate $62,000 to paint the statue. The original copper had started developing its beautiful blue-green patina, and some politicians were upset with the change. Public outcry kept the statue from being painted.



• The copper patina is preserving the statue. Copper develops its patina as a result of exposure to air. Once the pristine copper has turned blue-green ("patinated") the patina serves to reduce further oxidation. Thus the patina serves to protect the copper from further deterioration. Studies have revealed that only the top 5% of the skin has oxidized in the first 100 years, with most of that occurring in the first 10-25 years through a process called early oxidation.



• The flame has been changed three times. Bartholdi's original design of the flame was for it to be constructed of copper and clad in gold. Hoping to make it more of a navigational beacon, it was first changed so that portholes could be added and it could appear to be lit from within. When that idea failed, Gutzon Borglum, who later went on to design and create Mount Rushmore, made the second change by adding glass panels and copper framing. This design leaked terribly and caused further deterioration within the statue. Finally, as part of the 1986 restoration project, Bartholdi's original flame design was recreated and installed and is visible today.



• Lady Liberty stands amidst broken shackles. Due to the placement of the statue, and the height of the pedestal, visitors cannot see Lady Liberty's feet. She is standing among a broken shackle and chains, symbolic of freedom from oppression that she represents.