Over 4.5 million people visit the Statue of Liberty each year. However, it’s astonishing to learn that just six months after our national icon of freedom was opened to the public in 1886, it became a desolate spot, nearly abandoned by a disinterested populace.
This surprising fact is one of the many gems revealed by Elizabeth Mitchell, author of Liberty’s Torch: The Great Adventure to Build the Statue of Liberty. Here are a few other intriguing secrets that Lady Liberty holds.
The biggest myth is that the statue was a gift from the French government to the American government.
The statue was conceived by French sculptor Frederic Auguste Bartholdi, inspired by the majestic statuary he encountered in Egypt. While France played a part, much of the funding came from American citizens, motivated in part by the efforts of newspaper publisher Joseph Pulitzer.
The statue almost ended up at the Suez Canal.
Bartholdi was determined to realize his vision and initially proposed it to the Egyptian government for the Suez Canal, which was opening at the time.
Chains at Lady Liberty’s feet symbolize the end of the Civil War.
The involvement of French abolitionists, including Édouard de Laboulaye, was pivotal in realizing the statue, which was originally intended to celebrate the end of slavery in America, represented by the broken chains at her feet.
40 blank discs on the pedestal represent a fundraising failure by American states.
Bartholdi faced significant challenges in raising adequate funds for the statue, sending representatives across America for financial support at the state level. Consequently, he left 40 blank medallions on the base of the statue where the states could inscribe their names. However, not a single state contributed, leaving the discs blank.
Bartholdi envisioned Liberty Island as a real pleasure palace.
When you visit Liberty Island, you might notice its emptiness and lack of landscaping. However, Bartholdi envisioned transforming the island into a ‘pleasure island’, complete with a casino and live music, aiming to enhance its appeal and attract more visitors.
Its creators didn’t realize Lady Liberty would turn green.
Bartholdi, who initially wanted the statue to be entirely gold, and his team did not foresee that their copper creation would eventually oxidize and turn green with patina. It wasn’t until the 1920s that this transformation became evident.
Six months after she was opened to the public, Lady Liberty was almost forgotten.
A journalist reported that Liberty Island was “pretty much abandoned” just six months post-opening, highlighting how easily interest can wane. Interestingly, Bartholdi would likely be pleased to see how bustling the location is today.
The Statue doesn’t wear the creator’s mother’s face—it’s quite similar to his brother’s.
While many believe the statue was modeled after Bartholdi’s mother, he never confirmed this. Experts suggest it was more likely modeled after his brother, explaining Lady Liberty’s pensive expression.
A little boat on the water has maybe the best view of the statue.
For a unique perspective, visitors can head to a floating bar called the Honorable William Wall for an intriguing view. Alternatively, the free Staten Island Ferry also offers a fantastic vantage point of the iconic statue.
The person who built the crown was the highest person in New York City at that time.
In a unique historical parallel, Mitchell notes that visitors in the statue’s crown are experiencing the peak of New York City’s architectural achievements of the era, providing a remarkable perspective.
She was Eiffel’s first artistic endeavor before his famed tower.
Inside the statue, visitors are looking up at what is often considered Gustave Eiffel’s first artistic feat, prior to his more famous work with the Eiffel Tower.
Suffragists hated her.
Ironically, the statue representing liberty infuriated many suffragists on its opening day, as they continued to fight for the right to vote—something that would take another 34 years to achieve.
Thomas Edison almost made Lady Liberty able to talk.
Interestingly, Thomas Edison proposed installing a phonograph within the statue so she could give speeches, a concept that thankfully never materialized, as it would have created an unsettling experience.
