125th Anniversary
Statue of Liberty
October 28, 2011
Liberty Enlightening the World
On October 28, 1886, the Statue of Liberty was dedicated. It was later designated as a National Monument in 1924, restored for her centennial on July 4, 1986, and now for her 125th, is undergoing a renovation of the 125 year old pedestal and the 200 year old fort base from which the statue rises.
A gift of friendship from the people of France to the people of the United States... The Statue of Liberty is a universal symbol of freedom and democracy.
The 1886 dedication was attended by President Grover Cleveland, who
proclaimed on that day that 'Liberty' would "magnify France beyond the
seas." The dedication was followed by a fireworks display and New York
City's first ever 'Ticker Tape' parade.
Honor History, Envision the Future
The National Park Service theme for the 125th anniversary events was 'Honor History, Envision the Future.'
The program for the day was jointly sponsored by the National Park
Service and their proud partners at the Statue of Liberty and Ellis
Island Foundation, the Coca-Cola Company and Macy's.
The goal of the celebration was to
re-create, to the greatest extent possible, the actual program that
guided that day's events 125 years ago. The day included a
naturalization ceremony, musical performances, a gun salute, a U.S. Coast
Guard sponsored Flotilla, FDNY Fireboat water spout display, a
presentation of "Gifts of Friendship" to a representative of the French
government, and the ceremonial 'lighting' of the new 'torch webcam' that
will showcase views of NY Harbor and the Statue from the vantage point
of Lady Liberty's torch. Read more about the day's events on the NPS website.
Several
remarkable views will be just a touch of a mouse away. On clear days,
three cameras will provide unobstructed panoramas and live views of the
famed New York City skyline, along with a front row seat to watch views
of the majestic Hudson River and ships in New York Harbor. And that's
just looking out. The two remaining cameras provide truly unique views.
One provides a ultra wide-angle interactive view of the famed golden
torch; and the final camera looks downward.
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View from a Cruise Ship
The Statue of Liberty can be seen from several vantage points around the New York / New Jersey shores or islands. Each of these views are magnificent, but in my mind, nothing is more magnificent than sailing into New York harbor at sunrise and seeing the Statue of Liberty as your cruise ship approaches. Imagine you were one of the immigrants who had left everything, including family, to venture to the new world for a new life, and behold you saw Lady Liberty standing in your path. It would take your breath away, as it should for everyone that understands what she stands for.
We have been fortunate to sail into and out of New York or New Jersey cruise ports on several occasions, but we won't forget the Trans-Atlantic in 2000 where not only did we see the Statue of Liberty as we sailed in from Europe, but the twin towers of The World Trade Center. Little did we know that would be our last cruise where we'd see those towers.
There are several options for cruising into or out of New York / New Jersey cruise ports. We highly recommend you add that to your bucket list. We'd be happy to discuss the various options with you when you are ready to plan.
