The Statue Of Liberty’s Bum.

I’m in love with a big copper Woman from France but she stays in New York.
Ain’t she a beauty!

The Empire State Building?
Yellow Cabs?
Times Square?
The Ed Sullivan Theatre?
Little Italy?
Grand Central Station?
42nd Street?
Central Park?
The Brooklyn Bridge?

Forget all of that.
When I visited New York for the first time I was only interested in seeing two things.

Sesame Street & The Statue Of Liberty’s bum.

Obviously I was interested in those other things but you never really see Lady Liberty’s copper behind do you?

Well,
As soon as I stepped off that water taxi and onto Liberty Island,
There she was!
Lady Liberty.

I looked at her for about 15 seconds.
Don’t get me wrong,
It was one of the most amazing sites I’ve ever seen but I’d seen her before in books and films.
I marched right around the back.

Ladies and Gentleman,
The Statue Of Liberty’s Bum!:

I traveled 3000 odd miles to see that up close and it was well worth it!

I like reminiscing about my times in New York.
I’ll tell you some more stories soon I promise but for the time being,

Here’s some Statue Of Liberty facts and trivia:

* Date Construction  of the Statue began in France: 1875.
* Title of Statue: “Liberty Enlightening The World”.
* Sculptor: Frederic Auguste Bartholdi.
* Structural Engineer: Gustave Eiffel.
* Statue completed in Paris: June 1884.
* Statue presented to America by France: July 4th 1884.
* Statue dismantled and shipped to US: Early 1885.
* Number of individual pieces shipped to US: 350.
* Location of Statue: Liberty Island, formerly Bedloe’s Island & Fort Wood (Fortress for protection of New York Harbor 1811).

* Wind speed at which Statue sways: 3 inches (7.62 cm): 50 mph.
* Torch sway in 50 mph wind: 5 inches (12.7 cm).
* Number of windows in the crown: 25.
* Number of spikes in the crown: 7.
* Hand with which Statue holds tablet: Left.
* Inscription on tablet: “July 4, 1776” (In Roman numerals).

* Height from base to torch (Bartholdi’s design): 151′ 1″ (46.50m).
* Height from base to torch (1984 Survey): 152′ 2″ (46.84m).
* Foundation of pedestal to torch (Bartholdi’s design): 305′ 1″ (92.99m).
* Foundation of pedestal to torch (1984 Survey): 306′ 8″ (93.47m).
* Heel to top of head: 111′ 1″ (33.86m).
* Length of hand: 16′ 5″ (5.00m).

* Index finger: 8′ 0″ (2.44m).
* Circumference at second joint: 3′ 6″ (1.07m).
* Size of fingernail: 13″x10″ (33×25.4cm).
* Weight of fingernail: About 3.5 pounds. (1.5 kg).
* Head from chin to cranium: 17′ 3″ (5.26m).
* Head thickness from ear to ear: 10′ 0″ (3.05m).
* Distance across the eye: 2′ 6″ ( .76m).

* Length of nose: 4′ 6″ ( l.48m).
* Right arm length: 42′ 0″ (12.80m).
* Right arm greatest thickness: 12′ 0″ (3.66m).
* Thickness of waist: 35′ 0″ (10.67m).
* Width of mouth: 3′ 0″ (.91m).

* Tablet, length: 23′ 7″ (7.19m).
* Tablet, width: 13′ 7″ (4.14m).
* Tablet, thickness: 2′ 0″ (.61m).
* Height of granite pedestal: 89′ 0″ (27.13m).
* Height of foundation: 65′ 0″ (19.81m).

* Weight of copper used: 179,200 pounds (81,300 kilograms).
* Weight of steel used: 250,000 pounds (113,400 kilograms).
* Total weight of Statue: 450,000 pounds (225 tons).
* Thickness of Copper sheeting: 3/32 inch (2.37mm).
* Approximate fabric in Liberty’s dress: 4,000 sq.yds.
* Bartholdi intentionally clothed Liberty as a classical Roman diety: She wears a palla, a cloak that is fastened on her left shoulder by a clasp. Underneath is a stola, which falls in many folds to her feet.

* Spikes in the Crown represent either: The Seven Seas: Arctic, Antarctic, North & South Atlantic, North & South Pacific, & India, Or The Seven Continents: North and South America, Europe, Asia, Africa, Antarctica & Australia.
* 25 windows in the crown represent: “Natural minerals” of the Earth.
* Toga represents: The Ancient Republic of Rome.
* Torch represents: Enlightenment.
* Chains underfoot represent: Liberty crushing the chains of slavery.
* Location of alternate entrance: Sole of Liberty’s right foot.
* Steps to crown: 354 steps (22 stories).

* From 1984-1986: A team of French and American craftsmen worked in and around the statue, repairing popped rivets and replacing the corroded iron ribs with stainless steel. They strengthened the arm, incorrectly installed in 1886. French metal crafters replaced the old flame, lit from inside, with a gold-plated copper flame lit by reflection, in keeping with the sculptor’s original conception.

There are some great construction photos and illustrations out there of The Statue Of Liberty.
I’ll dig the best ones up and spread them over a couple of posts on here so you can see them.

If you care,
Stay tuned.

Bye for now.