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The Statue of Liberty is a towering neoclassical statue located on Liberty Island in New York Harbor, New York City, USA. Standing at the height of a 15-story building, this monumental figure was a remarkable gift from France to the United States. The statue was carefully packed in crates and transported across the Atlantic Ocean before being reconstructed on the island.
You might already be aware that the Statue of Liberty was unveiled on October 28, 1886, and reaches a total height of 305 feet (93 meters) including its base. However, there are many lesser-known aspects of this iconic structure. Here are ten intriguing facts about the Statue of Liberty.
10. It Was Initially Intended for the Entrance of the Suez Canal
While today, the Statue of Liberty is an emblem of American pride, it was originally designed with a different destination in mind. In fact, Egypt was the intended home for this monumental statue, as it was originally conceived for the entrance of the Suez Canal.
Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi, the brilliant mind behind the Statue of Liberty, was inspired by his youthful visit to Egypt. During his travels, he was captivated by the ambitious project of creating a channel between the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea. In 1867, while attending Paris's World’s Fair, Bartholdi had the opportunity to meet the leader of Egypt, where he proposed an idea to create a monumental artwork as awe-inspiring as Egypt's pyramids. This vision evolved into the creation of a towering statue of a woman holding a lamp, which would later stand as a beacon for the Suez Canal.
However, the project to build the statue in Egypt never came to fruition. Due to construction delays and complications with the Suez Canal, the Egyptian government ultimately decided against funding such an expensive venture. Bartholdi, undeterred by the setback, remained resolute in his determination to bring the statue to life. His dream would soon find a new home—across the Atlantic in the United States, where the statue eventually found its permanent place.
9. A Replica Sparked a Historic Error
In an unusual blunder, the United States Postal Service chose the Statue of Liberty to be the centerpiece of its 'Forever' stamp, only to realize they had made a major mistake. The image used was not of the iconic statue in New York but of a replica in Las Vegas. A truly embarrassing oversight!
The mix-up occurred because the replica was considered to be a more aesthetically pleasing version of the statue. By the time the error was detected by Sunipix, a Texas-based stock photo agency, an astonishing ten and a half billion stamps had already been printed. To this day, this incident remains the largest recorded stamp printing error in history.
The stamp quickly became a favorite among Americans. In 2013, Robert S. Davidson, the sculptor behind the Las Vegas “Statue of Liberty,” filed a lawsuit against the United States Postal Service. In 2018, a federal judge ruled that the USPS owed Davidson $3,548,470.95 for copyright infringement.
8. It Didn't Always Feature a Green Hue
The Statue of Liberty’s iconic green hue is visible from great distances. Interestingly, the artist who designed the statue never intended for it to be this color. Initially, the statue had a reddish-brown copper appearance when it was presented to the United States. However, exposure to weather over time caused oxidation, turning it green.
In 1906, there were discussions to restore the statue to its original color, but the idea was met with resistance from the public. As a result, the restoration was never carried out. Today, the Statue of Liberty remains unpainted and is expected to stay that way for the foreseeable future.
7. A Vision for France's Democratic Future
Édouard de Laboulaye was a distinguished political thinker of his era, renowned for his belief in democracy as an ideal. Elected to parliament in 1871, Laboulaye rose to prominence as the leader of the center-left during a pivotal time when France was caught between establishing a republic or a constitutional monarchy.
In 1865, following the Union's triumph over the Confederacy in the United States—a victory that reaffirmed the country's dedication to freedom and democracy—Laboulaye conceived the idea of gifting a monument to the United States.
Laboulaye believed such a monument would help bolster the cause of democracy in France. Years later, with the assistance of his friend and sculptor Bartholdi, Laboulaye's vision became a reality when the Statue of Liberty was unveiled in the U.S.
6. The Statue Gave an Island a New Name
Liberty Island was once called “Oyster Island,” named for the abundance of oysters that made it a significant food source. In 1667, Dutch colonist Isaac Bedloe obtained ownership of the island. Two years later, Governor Francis Lovelace, an English Royalist and the second governor of New York, requested that Bedloe rename it to “Love Island.” However, after Bedloe's death in 1673 and Lovelace's overthrow by the Dutch, the name never took hold.
After the English governor was ousted, the island's name changed from “Love Island” to “Bedloe’s Island.” To prevent bankruptcy, Bedloe's widow sold the island to two merchants from New York. Eventually, the New York City administration acquired the island, which was converted into a quarantine station to check arriving ships for diseases. During the Revolutionary War, it also provided shelter for Tory refugees before being transferred to the federal government in 1800, where it became a military fort. Fort Wood was completed in 1811.
In 1871, the artist and sculptor Bartholdi visited the United States to scout possible locations for the Statue of Liberty and chose Bedloe’s Island as the ideal site. The statue was erected there in 1886. In 1924, President Calvin Coolidge designated the Statue of Liberty as a national monument, and in 1956, Bedloe’s Island was renamed Liberty Island to honor this new national treasure.
5. The Torch Has Been Replaced
The Statue of Liberty depicts a woman holding a torch high above her head. While the rest of the monument remains original, the torch has been replaced. After a century of deterioration and several questionable renovations, it was decided to swap the old torch for a new one in 1985.
The original torch was later displayed in the statue's pedestal. However, in 2018, it was relocated to the new Statue of Liberty Museum on Liberty Island. The museum opened on May 16, 2019, designed to enrich the visitor experience by offering a deeper understanding of the statue's history, symbolism, and cultural importance. It features a variety of exhibits, including the original torch, multimedia displays, and immersive galleries that explore the statue's creation, construction, and lasting legacy.
4. The Eiffel Connection
Gustave Eiffel, the renowned French engineer famous for designing the Eiffel Tower, is also linked to the Statue of Liberty. Following the unexpected death of the statue’s original designer, Eugène Viollet-le-Duc, in 1879, Eiffel was brought in as his replacement.
While Eiffel praised and retained Viollet-le-Duc’s designs for the statue's exterior and copper sheeting, he opted for a more modern approach for the internal structure. Eiffel designed a central pylon that would serve as the statue's main support. After his design was approved, Eiffel oversaw the interior construction, which was completed in late 1883.
3. Thomas Edison Almost Made the Statue Speak
Thomas Edison, known for his invention of the phonograph, was a pioneer in audio recording. His groundbreaking work in sound recording was a result of his ongoing research into telephony and telegraphy, eventually leading to the creation of the phonograph, the first device capable of recording and playing back sound.
The phonograph was produced some years before the Statue of Liberty was completed. So Edison attempted to develop a colossal phonograph that could be installed inside the Statue of Liberty and broadcast speeches that could be heard up to the northern part of Manhattan and across the bay. However, his plan was not approved.
2. The Statue Is in Two States
One unique but little-known fact about the Statute of Liberty is that while the monument is within the territory of New York, the land beneath it and the surrounding water are within New Jersey’s territory.
The Statue of Liberty stands on Liberty Island, originally Bedloe’s Island. In 1834, New York and New Jersey reached an agreement over the ownership of the island now known as Liberty Island. While New York owns the Island, New Jersey maintains the water and submerged land surrounding the island. This creates a unique and unusual situation.
1. The Statue Is Linked to the Roman Goddess of Freedom
Libertas, the Roman goddess of freedom, may have been a lesser-known deity, but she was widely regarded in ancient Roman culture. The face of Libertas appeared on several Roman coins. Representing freedom, she was particularly revered as the patroness of freed slaves. According to Roman customs, when a master granted freedom to a slave, a special ceremony was held at the Temple of Liberty.
Interestingly, the figure of Libertas gained popularity in American culture during the 1800s. The Statue of Liberty, symbolizing freedom, the abolition of slavery, and democracy, naturally drew inspiration from Libertas. Ancient depictions of Libertas as a goddess bear a striking resemblance to the design of the Statue of Liberty.
