What Everyone Should Know About the Statue of Liberty

Why Do We Even Have a Statue of Liberty?

Amazing what a little dinner talk can result in. In 1865 young French sculptor Frederic-Auguste Bartholdi engaged in a little casual conversation at a banquet near Versailles with historian Edouard de Laboulaye. The discussion turned toward the upcoming centennial celebration of the birth of America and the latter suggested that France give America a birthday present. Bartholdi immediately seized on the idea of an enormous statue of a naked lady. Okay, I kid about the naked part, but he was mesmerized by the idea of some sort of immense sculpture. A few years passed, however, and one day Bartholdi sailed into New York and saw a little island on which he envisioned that gift to America.


So He Named It The Statue of Liberty, Right?

Actually, the statue was to be known as “Liberty Enlightening the World.” It was to be 152 feet high and weigh over 250 tons. France said they would handle the cost, which was pretty nice considering it was a gift from them to us. America, however, said they would foot the bill for the lady’s pedestal. Bartholdi needed someone he could trust to oversee this massive operation and he finally landed upon a man named Alexandre-Gustave Eiffel. You might be familiar with him as a result of some kind of tower or something or other he later built in the middle of Paris.


Americans Loved Gifts From France Back Then Just As Much As Now.

In other words, not much. While the French were exuberant about the statue, donating almost half a million dollars, the Americans were not so sure they wanted—or needed—such a lavish gift. Ever heard of the Pulitzer Prize? It is named after Joseph Pulitzer, the esteemed newspaper editor. He was thoroughly disgusted that Americans had no interest in the statue and set about on a crusade to raise money to build the pedestal. In the end, it was mainly through his efforts that over a quarter of a million of dollars were raised to put that landing spot in place.


So The Statue Was Built In Time For The Centennial After All?