Lady Liberty's Torch

Do you know why Lady Liberty's torch has been closed to the public since 1916?

Lady Liberty, officially named Liberty Enlightening the World, was designed by Frédéric-Auguste Bartholdi, a Frenchman who conceived the idea of building a colossal statue as a gift to America. It was meant to celebrate and honor the shared love of liberty that bonded the French and American people. Lady Liberty stands 305 feet tall on an 89-foot pedestal set atop a star-shaped foundation.

The Statue of Liberty's pedestal is built on the remains of Fort Wood, originally part of a chain of defenses protecting New Yor...