Statue of Liberty restoration and centennial

The Event Full-scale restoration effort and centennial celebration for the Statue of Liberty

Date Restoration took place from 1984 to 1986; centennial celebration held July 4-6, 1986

Place Statue of Liberty National Monument, Ellis Island, New York City

The much-needed restoration of the Statue of Liberty and subsequent centennial celebration provided Americans with an opportunity to reflect upon their nation’s history and the heritage of the immigrants that passed through Ellis Island.

The Statue of Liberty National Monument, one of the United States’ most recognizable national symbols, turned one hundred years old on October 28, 1986. France had given the statue, designed by Frédéric-Auguste Bartholdi, to the United States in 1886, in recognition of a friendship that had begun during the American Revolution. Erecting the statue had been a joint effort between the two countries, with France responsible for designing the statue and assembling it in the United States and the United States responsible for building its pedestal. In May of 1982, President Ronald Reagan appointed former Chrysler executive Lee Iacocca to head a private-sector effort to raise funds to restore the Statue of Liberty. A partnership formed between the government, represented by the National Park Service, and the newly formed, private Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation. The foundation also sought resources to beautify the surroundings of the statue and to rehabilitate the crumbling ruins of Ellis Island.

The Statue

A combination of weather, pollution, time, and the high volume of sightseers visiting the island had left the Statue of Liberty in serious need of attention. In 1984, therefore, the statue was closed for renovation, and scaffolding was erected around it, obscuring it from view until its rededication. At this point, the United Nations designated the Statue of Liberty National Monument as a World Heritage Site.

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Various procedures were performed on the monument’s interior and exterior. Liquid nitrogen was used to strip away seven layers of paint from the interior, and other techniques were employed to remove the layers of tar that originally been applied to plug leaks and prevent corrosion. Large holes in the copper skin were smoothed out and patched with new copper. Each of the over one thousand supporting iron ribs of the statue had to be removed and replaced, because the iron had corroded to such an extent that it had lost a great deal of its original density. Teflon film was inserted between the new bars and the skin to provide insulation and reduce friction. Chemicals were applied to sections of the copper skin to ensure that the statue was strengthened. The support structure of the right arm was updated and reinforced to make the arm structurally sound. The crown’s seven rays were also reinforced. Thousands of rivets were replaced, and any seams or open holes were sealed.

A significant feature of the restoration was the replacement of the torch. The original torch, which had been modified extensively in 1916, was considered beyond repair. The new torch included features designed to enhance its visibility, such as gold plating on the exterior of the flame and external lamps on the surrounding balcony platform. Other renovations to the statue included upgraded climate-control systems and the addition of two elevators, one to the top of the pedestal and a second emergency elevator reaching the crown. Improvements were also made to the administration and concession buildings on Liberty Island. New walkways were added, along with landscaping to prepare the island for the centennial celebration. Restoration work on Ellis Island was limited to the main building and the power station.

The Centennial

On July 5, 1986, the Statue of Liberty reopened to the public during a centennial celebration known as Liberty Weekend. Acclaimed producer David Wolper was selected to orchestrate the $32-million gala. The event began on July 4 with over three thousand restoration sponsors and members of the media from more than forty nations joining President Reagan for the grand unveiling. Numerous celebrities such as Frank Sinatra and Elizabeth Taylor joined in the salute to the statue. The president kicked off the ceremonies by pressing a button that activated the floodlights on the statue. The event included the presentation of a special medal, created solely for the centennial, called the Medal of Liberty. The medal was given to twelve naturalized American citizens, including Irving Berlin, Bob Hope, Henry Kissinger, Albert Sabin, and Itzhak Perlman. Thirty-three naval vessels from fourteen nations passed the statue and fired twenty-one gun salutes. From Ellis Island, Chief Justice Warren Burger administered the citizenship oath to thirteen thousand people via satellite television broadcast. The evening was concluded with a dramatic fireworks display.

The following day, First Lady Nancy Reagan led French and American schoolchildren on the first tour through the renovated statue, and a conference on the meaning of liberty began in New York City. On July 6, an event was held featuring sports legends Muhammad Ali, Billie Jean King, and Hank Aaron. It included a skating exhibition by Dorothy Hamill, Peggy Fleming, and others. The closing ceremonies of the centennial included a cast of over twelve thousand, including notables Charlton Heston, Willie Nelson, Gene Kelly, the Four Tops, and the Pointer Sisters, as well as two hundred Elvis impersonators, gospel choirs, drill teams, dancers, and the Statue of Liberty All-American Marching Band.

Impact

The restoration of the Statue of Liberty National Monument and its subsequent centennial celebration provided Americans with a chance to celebrate their diverse heritage by recalling the immigrants who passed through Ellis Island and whose first image of America was the welcoming sight of the Statue of Liberty. The festivities portrayed the renewal of the statue as a renewal of the United States itself. Some believed that the restoration of the Statue of Liberty served as a metaphor for the restoration of the American Dream that, according to Reagan and his supporters, occurred during the 1980’s.

Bibliography

Bell, James B., and Richard I. Abrams. In Search of Liberty. New York: Doubleday, 1984. Comprehensive treatment of the story of the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. Printed for the Centennial Commission as a souvenir. Contains excellent images.

Moreno, Barry. The Statue of Liberty Encyclopedia. New York: Simon & Schuster, 2000. Thorough history of the Statue of Liberty and the restoration. Quick reference source.

Smith, V. Elaine. “Engineering Miss Liberty’s Rescue.” Popular Science 228, no. 6 (June, 1986): 68-73. Cover story on the restoration process that focuses on the techniques and products used to renovate the structure.

United States General Accounting Office. National Parks: Restoration of the Statue of Liberty Monument—Report to the Chairman, Subcommittee on National Parks and Recreation, Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs, House of Representatives. Washington, D.C.: Author, 1986. Complete history of the project, including detailed budget, organizational chart, and numerous engineering blueprints and reports.