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Henry Hudson Lands in New York Harbor
Henry Hudson lands in New York Harbor and the Hudson River estuary. As the Europeans colonize the Oyster Islands, the Natives were forced to move away; Occupation, war and disease pushed them out to the north and the west. (The picture is an illustration of Henry Hudson's ship, The Half Moon, at anchor in the Hudson River circa 1609) -
Isaac Bedloe becomes proprietor of the island
Dutch colonist, Isaac Bedloe, obtains a colonial land grant for what is now Liberty Island. -
Bedloe's Island is used as a quarantine station and check site
New York City takes possession of Bedloe's Island, using it as a quarantine station, inspecting incoming ships, and sick sailors for contamination and disease. -
The "Works on Bedloe's Island"
The United States Army uses Bedloe's Island as a military post until 1937: The "Works on Bedloe's Island," later named Fort Wood, is where the 11-point star fort was built. This for was to helo protection the New York Harbor. The fort is It is garrisoned with artillery and infantry until the outbreak of the Civil War. -
Civil War Begins
The United States Civil War begins and Fort Wood serves as a recruiting station and ordinance depot. A small garrison is maintained at the fort. -
A gift from France
Edouard de Laboulaye, a French political intellectual and authority on the U.S. Constitution, proposes that France give a statue representing liberty to the United States for its centennial. The recent Union victory in the American Civil War reaffirms the United States' ideals of freedom and democracy, serving as a platform for Laboulaye to argue that honoring the United States would strengthen the cause for democracy in France -
Auguste Bartholdi - Becomes Sculpter Of Lady Liberty
Early in Auguste Bartholdi's career, Bartholdi he studied art, sculpture, and architecturea. His passion was creating colossal works. Bartholdi was a great supporter of Laboulaye's idea and in 1870 he began designing the Statue of "Liberty Enlightening the World." (image: Bartholdi in his studio, Vavin Street, Paris) -
Bedloe's Island is made the official site for the Statue
Bartholdi's model of the Statue of Liberty is approved by Laboulaye so an official request is made to President Ulysses S. Grant for the use of Bedloe's Island as the Statue's home. It is decided that the project should be a joint French-American venture so the French fund the statue and the Americans fund the pedestal. Between 1875 and 1880, the French Committee raises about 400,000 francs. (image: Bartholdi and workmen constructing a final wood-and-plaster model of the Statue’s left hand) -
Bartholdi begins constructing the Statue
Bartholdi begins constructing the Statue and completes the Statue's hand holding the torch. This piece of the Statue is sent to the US and displayed at the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia on May 18th. -
Site Designation for Statue of Liberty
The garrison at Fort Wood is disbanded. However, the United States Army continues to supervise an ordnance post (and remains active) on Bedloe's Island until 1937.Bedloe's Island is designated as the site for the Statue of Liberty -
The torch is passes on to Madison Square in New York City
After being being shown off in the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia, the Statue's torch moved to Madison Square in New York City and stays there until 1882 to help raise funds for the pedestal of the statue. -
The Statue's assembly begins
The Statue's copper plates are completed and the assembly begins. The French people fall in love with the Statue and refer to her as the "Lady of the Park." (image: Workmen hammering sheets of copper into shape over latticelike wooden patterns. From "Album des Travaux de Construction de la Statue Colossale de la Liberte destinee an Port de New-York,") -
Work begins on Statue's pedestal
Work begins on the 15 foot deep foundation for the pedestal on Bedloe's Island. General Charles P. Stone is appointed as Chief Engineer, responsible for design and construction of the concrete foundation and the construction of the pedestal. Also this year, Edouard de Laboulaye dies. -
Emma Lazarus composes "The New Colossus"
<ahref='http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6359435' >The New Colossus and other poetry by Emma Lazarus</a> Emma Lazarus composes "The New Colossus" for the "Art Loan Fund Exhibition in Aid of the Bartholdi Pedestal Fund for the Statue of Liberty." -
Hunt completes his finalized plan for the pedestal
The foundation and base for the statue has concrete walls up to 20 feet thick, faced with granite blocks. The concrete mass is the largest mass of poured concrete at that time. The pedestal's cornerstone is laid on Bedloe's Island. -
The Statue is formally presented
Hundreds of people gather at the feet of the completed Statue in Paris to watch as she is formally presented to Levi P. Morton, the U.S. minister to France. (image: An illustration of the presentation of the Statue to the U.S. Minister Levi Parsons Morton in Paris on July 4, 1881) -
Construction on the pedestal stops
The Statue is supposed to be delivered to the US in 1885, but due to lack of funds, construction on the pedestal is stopped. -
Joseph Pulitzer raises funds and the Statue is brought to the US
Joseph Pulitzer, comes to the Statue's financial rescue with a highly successful, six-month fund raising campaign. Over $100,000 is raised. The statue arrives in New York Harbor on June 17th but is placed in storage for a year while the pedestal is completed. -
The pedestal is complete and assembly of the statue begins.
Work crews, mostly immigrants, assemble the Statue. The decision is made to light the Statue's torch electrically. The Army Corps of Engineers vetos putting flood lights on the torch's balcony so Bartholdi cuts portholes in the torch and put lights inside of them. -
The Statue is formally unveiled on Bedloe's Island
One million New Yorkers turn out, in the damp and fog, for the first ticker tape parade in New York City, to cheer for the Statue of Liberty. President Cleveland salutes Bartholdi as "the greatest man in America today." -
Lady Liberty gets her fireworks.
The fireworks display, that was supposed to happen at the official unvailing , finally happens. It was originally cancelled on October 28th due to the fog and rain. -
"The New Colossus" is mounted to the base of the Statue.
Words from Emma Lazarus' poem "The New Colossus" are inscribed on a plaque and mounted to the base of the Statue. -
Illumination
The Staue of Liberty is illuminated for the first time. -
The Statue is designated a National Monument
By the authority of the Antiquities Act, President Calvin Coolidge names the Statue of Liberty a National Monument -
Through 1945, WWII Blackouts
The Statue's torch is extinguished under the blackout regulations of World War II. Visitors are still allowed to visit the Statue. -
Liberty Island makes it's debut
Bedloe's Island is renamed Liberty Island by a joint resolution in Congress and signed into law by President Dwight D. Eisenhower. -
through 1984, Statue Restoration
President Ronald Reagan appoints Lee Iacocca to head up the restoration. This work is carried out through a collaboration between the National Park Service and the Statue of Liberty - Ellis Island Foundation. The rusted iron armature bars are replaced with stainless steel bars, several coatings are removed from the interior copper skin and the torch is reapled with a new one covered in gold leaf. -
Restoration is completed
On the 4th of July, Liberty weekend is celebrated! On the 5th, the Statue re-opens, including a new Statue of Liberty Exhibit in the pedestal. Later this year, on October 28th, the centennial of the Statue of Liberty is officially celebrated with officials from France and the United States. (image: The Statue of Liberty under scaffolding during the 1980s restoration) -
World Trade Center under attack
The first ferry, heading to the Statue of Liberty, had to turn back just as the World Trade Center came under attack. -
Liberty Island re-opens to the public
Liberty Island reopens to the public but the inside of the monument remains closed. -
The Statue's Crown Reopens
The Statue's crown reopens to the public for the first time since September 2001. -
Lady Liberty celebrates her 125th year
The Statue of Liberty National Monument celebrates 125.
Follow a link to see a beautiful collection of photos posted on denverpost.com to celebrate this occasion:
Photos: The 125th Anniversary of the Statue of Liberty -
Liberty Island is flooded by Hurricane Sandy
Flooding from Hurricane Sandy puts 75% of Liberty Island below water just one day after the Statue opens back up after a year long renovation. The island remains closed indefinitely. -
Statue of Liberty to Reopen
The Statue of Liberty is reopening July 4 after Superstorm Sandy flooded the island where it stands. -
A.D., Native Americans Inhabit Oyster Islands
Native Americans inhabit the land that is now Liberty Island along with the other Oyster Islands in New York Harbor. These islands are so named because of the shell beds that provided a huge source of food for the inhabitants.
