[Jake]

Today in 1885 the disassembled Statue arrived in New York Harbour to eventually be put together on Bedloe's Island 16 months later.

Emma Lazarus never saw the statue, but her words define the Statue of Liberty, which conclude, "Give me your tired your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free....the wretched refuse of your teeming shores, send these, the homeless, the tempest-tossed, to me, i lift my lamp beside the golden door." I quote it from memory, so there may be a mistake in it.

James Baldwin called the Statue of Liberty a sick joke for the African American. Immigrants loved the sight of it, but also knew that Ellis Island was yet to come, which many called the nearest comparison on earth to "Judgement Day". My oldest daughter knows the statue as "New Yok".

I think it's a fine statue....

[johnofphilly]

Hey Jake - I bet she didn't start out green as a martian.
Baldwin may have quite a point if she started out bronze.

I'm not up on metallurgy, or even what her torch looked like in Philly in 1876.

[NickfromPhilly]

Originally Posted by johnofphilly

.....or even what her torch looked like in Philly in 1876.

You're correct, John. The top part of the lady visited Philly's Fairmount Park, in 1876, to commemorate our countrys' 100th, or Centennial Celebration. I'm sure that on some days, though, she currently looks around and feels like walking back to France!

[johnofphilly]

Well, Nick, she'd be following former Philadelphian comic book artist Robert Crumb, who left some time back for the south of France.

Here's a link to the original color:

http://www.howtallisthestatueofliber...liberty-green/

This one loads slow:

http://www.visualnews.com/2011/09/02...-it-was-green/

[NickfromPhilly]

Very interesting, John. Thanks for the links. I didn't mean to be "flip," earlier. I still remember the tears welling up my Grandparents' eyes, as they recalled seeing Lady Liberty for the very first time, when they sailed on by to Ellis Island.

[Tina...]

When I visited The Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island tears welled up in my eyes, I never thought it would make me so emotional, but the history of those places and knowing that some of my Ancestors travelled for many weeks to start a new life there, brought a lump to my throat, and now I was there seeing it all for myself.

[Gonzalo Duque]

I've always been a big fan of the Statue of Liberty. One of the most haunting images of the Statue, Rod Serling-style, is from the 1968 movie "Planet Of The Apes" when astronaut George Taylor (played by the great Charlton Heston) realizes where he's been all along and what happened. One of Hollywood's "depressing whoa" moments, helped along by Heston's last exclamation lines in the film.

[S V PELUZIO JR]

I visited Miss Liberty twice.
It´s amazing indeed.

[Jake]

Well, Junior, you have quite the statue as well, Cristo Redentor in Rio!!