You know her, you love her—but did you know Lady Liberty was once doubled as an operational lighthouse? The Statue of Liberty was a gift from France as a symbol of friendship and liberty between our two countries. At its dedication in 1886, President Grover Cleveland placed the Statue of Liberty and its pedestal under the authority of the U.S. Lighthouse Board, officially making it a federal lighthouse.
The torch was equipped with powerful electric arc lamps that could theoretically be seen from 24 miles away. Therefore, it was the nation’s first electric lighthouse. Albert E. Littlefield was the Statue of Liberty’s dedicated lighthouse keeper, responsible for the maintenance required by the electric light.
Although it was intended to guide boats in the New York Harbor and remained under the U.S. Lighthouse Board until 1902, it’s torch light wasn’t powerful enough to be a reliable navigational aid. Therefore, the Statue of Liberty was then managed by the U.S. Department of War until 1933, where it became an official National Monument under Calvin Coolidge in 1924.
Public access was permitted into the torch up until 1916, following an explosion that led to the permanent closure of the area. Nowadays, people can only visit the pedestal and crown.
Eventually, the Statue of Liberty was transferred to the National Park Service. The government agency worked to restore and redesign the monument and its landscape thereafter. It even underwent a centennial restoration between 1984 and 1986.
Fun fact, it wasn’t always known as Liberty Island either. The statue was formerly sitting on what was known as Bedloe’s Island, until it was officially renamed Liberty Island in 1956.
Today, more than 15,000 daily visitors go to see Lady Liberty, according to Statista. However, it’s quite common that many New Yorkers have never actually been to Liberty Island to see the Statue of Liberty up close and personal. They’ll argue it’s too touristy or that they already have a great view from the bridge or Battery Park. However, if you want to visit the Statue of Liberty, you can check out our full guide with ticketing information, hours and access!
