In November 2001 I made my first trip to New York City. Just two and a half months after the attacks of September 11 (we had booked our trip back in July), it was a surreal experience, as my dad and I attended the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and the Rockettes Christmas show all amid a city that was still reeling. Our plans to visit the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island had been thwarted due to increased security. Instead we took a brief ferry ride around the island, and I knew visiting the icon would be near the top of my list for a future visit, and as this was Patrick’s first trip to New York, he was eager to go as well.

We booked the first ferry to Liberty Island, and I couldn’t pass up the chance to wear my Snake Plissken shirt for our visit to the Statue of Liberty. According to director John Carpenter, Escape from New York was the first movie to film on Liberty Island, which was turned into the security center for the lawless prison of Manhattan in the dystopian action flick.

The Statue of Liberty has become not just an icon of New York, but of America. Her neighbor, Ellis Island, was home to the immigration processing site that millions flooded through in search of the American Dream. But while she may be a symbol of America, she is really French. In 1865, on the eve of America’s centennial, Eduard de Leboulye, a French political activist, thought it would be nice to celebrate both the centennial, as well as the relationship between France and the United States of America, as France had been a tremendous ally during the American Revolution. Leboulaye worked with sculptor Frédéric-Auguste Bartholdi to create the now famed statue over the next two decades.

Inspired by New York Harbor being the “Gateway to America” Bartholdi chose what was then known as Bedloe’s Island for the location, and set to work creating the statue. From small working models, to massive plaster pieces that would form the copper sheets, the beautiful Lady Liberty began to take shape, and in 1885 she was shipped in 350 pieces contained within 214 crates across the Atlantic.

On October 28, 1886, the Statue of Liberty was unveiled, and became the first thing many immigrants saw upon arriving, often making them weep with joy. She of course also became a tourist dedication, complete with souvenirs, including a six inch figurine, of which an estimated 50,000 were sold in 1885 alone! Her grand pedestal gives visitors sweeping views of New York City, and those willing to make the climb can go up to her crown, however, as this was a relatively last minute trip, we were too late to book that option, as it fills up roughly three to four months in advance.

The torch meanwhile was only available to visitors for two brief decades, closing in 1916. It also went through many changes over the decades, and when she turned 100, she underwent a massive restoration. Despite the torch being closed relatively early, it had suffered tremendous damage and was replaced. The original torch is now on display (similar to how it was displayed from 1877 to 1882 in Madison Park) inside the island’s museum.

While Lady Liberty started out a golden copper, the elements eventually turned her a calming shade of green, that has been embraced, but inside the museum, they have full size pieces that showcase her original color.

Even though the ferry that takes you to the Statue of Liberty also takes you to Ellis Island, and we did stop there as well, it was under so much construction we hardly took any photos. Despite still not being a big fan of New York, I know Patrick and I will return and hopefully plan better, and arrange to make it up to the crown, and by then we hope Ellis Island won’t be swaddled in scaffolding and tarps!

The Statue of Liberty is located on Liberty Island in New York Harbor, and only accessible by ferry through Statue City Cruises. For more information, including ticket options, please visit the National Parks Service Statue of Liberty site. Please remember it’s more important than ever to support our National Parks, which are currently in danger. When visiting it’s vital to be a model visitor. Due to massive cuts, many parks are understaffed and overworked. Please be respectful to the sites you visit and the rangers you interact with. Take only memories and photos, and leave only footprints.

For the immigrants that came through during the decades Ellis Island was open, the Statue of Liberty was the first thing many of them saw. She inspired hope for a better life, and while Ellis Island is no longer the bustling immigration hub it once was, the statue is still a reminder of why many seek a new home in America. Immigration has changed dramatically in the last 100 years, and continues to be an issue of contention. Many struggle to enter the system and find their way here “illegally.” California, the largest food producers in the US, has thousands of undocumented workers, many of whom do the jobs that others simply do not want to do, such as field work. They are hard workers, who pay taxes, and many eventually go through the grueling immigration process. Today, these hard working immigrants are being kidnapped, without Due Process, which is a guarantee under the Constitution whether you are a citizen or not. Some are even being snatched up at immigration courts. Additionally “legal” citizens are getting caught up as well, simply due to the color of their skin. The raids are often violent, and go against what the Statue of Liberty stand for, “Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me.”

Sources
“Creating the Statue of Liberty.” National Parks Service.
Jackson, Matthew. “12 Facts About John Carpenter’s ‘Escape From New York’.” Mental Floss, 7 July 2022.
“Liberty Island Chronology.” National Parks Service.
Plaques on site.
“The Statue of Liberty.” The Statue of Liberty – Ellis Island Foundation.