If you think of New York City, what images spring to mind? Probably the bustling lights and sounds of Times Square in Manhattan, or the smell of authentic New York pizza or bagels. Plus, of course, the Statue of Liberty, that copper beacon that has welcomed travelers to America for generations. Her story is long and interesting; here are just a few juicy tidbits.
The Statue of Liberty has been a symbol of strength and resilience ever since its dedication in 1886. Given as a gift to New York's citizens, the statue was constructed in France and shipped over in pieces to be assembled on Liberty Island. But in the 1980s, engineers realized that Lady Liberty was barely hanging on by a thread. Her right arm hadn't been properly attached to the body, and several decades of wind and weather had eroded those already weak joints. The head of the statue was also about two feet off center from where it should have been, and there were several holes worn in the hollow copper.
The statue closed in 1984 for renovation, and was obscured from view using special scaffolding. Workers removed the original puddled iron bars holding Liberty's arm on, replacing them with corrosion-resistant stainless steel. Some sections of Liberty's skin had to be replaced; the commission used the copper from a Bell Labs rooftop, as it was similar in age and structure. Workers also installed an updated elevator and handicapped access to the crown and pedestal. If you want to go up into the crown, better look into it now; sometimes tickets must be reserved up to a year in advance.
Lady Liberty has been destroyed a great many times in disaster films, for great effect, as it is heralded as the American symbol for personal freedom. In the film Deluge, produced in 1933, the statue was surrounded by a tsunami wave - in this the first instance of the demise of the monument in a film. The Statue was famously used in The Planet of the Apes to signal that the protagonist had been on a post-apocalyptic Earth all along.
The alien attack in Independence Day sends the statue toppling into the river, and is buried in water and/or ice in The Day After Tomorrow and 2012. The famous poster for 1981's Escape from New York shows the statue's decapitated head rolling through the city streets. While the actual film left Liberty intact, 1998's Deep Impact and 2008's Cloverfield both gleefully sent the crowned head careening through the avenues of Manhattan. And in Ghostbusters 2, the great lady actually comes to life and helps the boys save New York City!
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