The Statue of Liberty

The face of the Statue of Liberty was modeled on the face of Charlotte Bartholdi, the mother of designer Frédéric-Auguste Bartholdi. The sculptor's girlfriend, Jeanne-Emilie, was the model for the statue's arms and body.

Gustave Eiffel, who later built the Eiffel Tower, built the statue's metal skeleton. Constructed entirely in France, the statue was packed in 214 cases for its journey to the United States.

When it was decided that the French would give a gift to the United States in honor of the 100th anniversary of our independence, Bartholdi sailed to New York to search for a suitable site. When his ship entered the harbor, he knew he had found the perfect location.

The statue replaced an old fortress, Fort Wood, which was located on Bedloe's Island.