Posted on Tuesday, October 28, 2025
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by The Association of Mature American Citizens
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1 Comments
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On October 28, 1886, the stunning monument known today as the Statue of Liberty — originally titled Liberty Enlightening the World — was formally dedicated in New York Harbor. A gift of friendship from the people of France to the people of the United States, the statue marked a symbolic and physical union of the two nations, commemorating their shared history, ideals of liberty and democracy, and an important chapter in immigrant-era America.
The monument’s conception goes back to French abolitionist and historian Édouard de Laboulaye, who proposed the idea as a tribute to the Franco-American alliance during the American Revolution. Sculptor Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi designed the 151-foot-tall figure of a robed woman holding aloft a torch, and the internal engineering was entrusted in part to Alexandre Gustave Eiffel — later of Eiffel Tower fame — alongside engineer Eugène‑Emmanuel Viollet‑le‑Duc.
The statue was constructed in France, then disassembled and packed into more than 200 crates for the trans-Atlantic journey. In New York, the pedestal was completed first, and by October 28, 1886, the final rivet was inserted, and the dedication ceremony commenced under President Grover Cleveland, attended by French and American dignitaries.
Beyond its impressive construction and engineering feat, the statue quickly became a powerful symbol for generations of newcomers arriving by sea. In 1892, the adjacent Ellis Island opened as the United States’ primary immigrant entry station, and more than 12 million immigrants passed beneath the gaze of Lady Liberty, viewing her as a beacon of hope, freedom, and new beginnings. Inside the pedestal, a bronze plaque installed in 1903 bears the sonnet “The New Colossus” by Emma Lazarus, which famously declares: “Give me your tired, your poor, / Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free…” — encapsulating the statue’s role as a portal of welcome.
Over time, the Statue of Liberty has evolved beyond its initial commemorative mission into an icon of American identity, liberty, and inclusive ideals. In 1924, it was declared a national monument, and in 1956, the island on which it stands was renamed Liberty Island. Major restorations in the 1980s have helped preserve the monument for future generations.
In essence, the dedication of the Statue on October 28th embodied the optimism of an era: as the United States matured into an industrial power and a destination for the world, this towering gift from France stood as both monument and message. It told the world — and the millions who arrived — that here was a land where liberty mattered, where hope could find a new footing, and where the light of freedom would shine through generations.
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