For the Fourth of July, I am posting a series of photographic images taken of the Statue of Liberty that adorns the harbor of New York City.
A gift of the people of France in celebration of our nation's centenniel in 1876, the statue has become one of the most-recognized icons of American freedom.
The official name of the statue is, "Liberty Enlightening the World".
"Liberty" resonates throughout the letters and the documents of our national founders, and demands for liberty and respect for liberty have been hallmarks of the American experience.
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1. This image is from an American postcard circa 1910.
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2. This image is from a postcard manufactured, ironically, in Great Britain about 1912.
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3. This image is from an American postcard circa 1925.
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4. This image is a souvenir card "Purchased atop the Empire State Building". It would have been acquired in the early 1930's.
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5. This is a linen postcard depicitng the Statue of Liberty at night. It was produced in the late 1930's.
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6. This is a free-use photo of the Statue of Liberty in New York harbor from Wiki.
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May we enjoy the blessings of Liberty for many generations!
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Comments: 19
God Bless America!!!
"Liberty and Justice for all"
Nice article Peter.
Hey I just found this video article, check it out
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/31727780#31727780
Interestng video. I could not find a date of production -but it was a few years ago.
Perfect article, Peter.
I visited the Lady and climbed up into her crown in 1995. Are they letting people up there again?
(Linguistic note: Geoff Nunberg on the shift from "liberty" toward "freedom".)
The crown of the Statue re-opens for visitors TODAY.
Hooray. I doubt that I will make the trip today, but I indeed to visit the crown.
The article is excellent - articulating a linguisitc shift with political meaning.
It explains why I have a tremendous appreciation of the word, "liberty".
Happy Independence Day, Peter (and everyone)! I love these postcards. I have never been to the Statue of Liberty, but I like to think about what it must have looked like to my great-great-grandparents a little more than a century ago.
I have not touched the statue in all the years I have lived in New York -but have traveled past it by boat on dozens of occassions.
It is always stirring.
Sometimes Liberty is half-hidden in the mists and fogs of the harbor, from far away, she appears to be standing just above the water.
I hope you come to New York again, Kris.
I have a photo that I took of L.L. during the Worlds Fair...
Nice post Peter
It would be great to see, Ron, if you can scan it.
How wonderful, Peter! I visited the Statue of Liberty when I was a Girl Scout back in 8th grade, and we went pretty far up, but the arm was closed back then. Since then, we've seen her as we drove past on various trips. You have inspired Galahad and I to begin planning a trip down there to visit her together.
I wish Wendy R. was here to share some thoughts -- she was once a Staten Island resident.
Happy Independence Day to you and your family, dannielle.
If you and Galahad visit New York, you must let me know that you are coming - not to alert the police, fire department, or Homeland Security, but ot make reservations so I can treat you to Brunch.
There is a recent children's book about the efforts to construct this statue, and it's impressive. The people of France were enthusiastic supporters of the concept and construction.
Here in America, it was the common folk, led by a newspaper journalist, who raised the money necessary to build the pedestal and construct this marvelous statue. She is in every way "of the people."
Here we go: free verse biography of Lady Liberty.
The book looks great, Dannielle.
I mentioned very little about the history of the statue, but your details about the children raising money for the construction in the US is charming and true.
In 1876, France was recovering from a brutal war with Prussia (The Franco-Prussian War) and was celebrating the revolutionary ideals of liberty, equality, fraternity.
The background to this magnificent gift is a recognition that "liberty" is a human right that must be defended.
Sometime back in the early '90s I went up in the Statue of Liberty during my first visit to NYC. That was interesting, if a bit claustrophobic, but what I really liked were the museum exhibits there and on Ellis Island. Very fascinating and moving.
"...what I really liked were the museum exhibits there and on Ellis Island. Very fascinating and moving..."
The National Park Service continues to improve the capacity to search records at the Ellis Island Complex.
There are thirty acres of "un-restored" space in this National Park, and New Yorkers hope that additional historical and cultural exhibit space will be developed there.