Liberty Island

Main article: Statue of Liberty

Further information: National Register of Historic Places

History

Liberty Island is a small island in Upper New York Bay. It is special because of the Statue of Liberty, also called Liberty Enlightening the World. The statue was made by Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi and placed there in 1886. It holds a torch and a book, welcoming people to the United States.

The island used to be called Bedloe's Island. In 1956, the United States Congress changed its name to Liberty Island. Even though it is close to Jersey City, New Jersey, the island is part of Manhattan, New York City. This caused some disagreement, but now it is a special place for everyone.

Statue of Liberty National Monument

Today, Liberty Island is part of the Statue of Liberty National Monument. This began in 1937 when President Franklin D. Roosevelt made it official. In 1966, the island was added to the National Register of Historic Places with the Statue of Liberty National Monument, Ellis Island, and Liberty Island. There is a museum on the island where visitors can see the statue’s original torch. The torch was used from 1886 until 1984.

Geography and access

Liberty Island is a small piece of land owned by the government. It is in the Upper New York Bay. It is one of the islands that are part of the borough of Manhattan in New York, even though it is closer to Jersey City, New Jersey. Because of old agreements, Liberty Island is part of New York State, even though it is in New Jersey waters.

The island has the famous Statue of Liberty National Monument. Visitors can take a ferry from Liberty State Park in Jersey City or the Battery in Lower Manhattan. Getting on the island is free, but there is a fee for the ferry because private boats cannot stop there. The ferries are run by Statue City Cruises, which took over from Circle Line in 2007.

History

Liberty Island has an interesting history. Long ago, it was called Great Oyster Island because it had many oyster beds. The Lenape people used these oysters for food. Later, Dutch settlers called it one of the Oyster Islands.

The island was used for different purposes over time. At one point, it was a quarantine station where people who were sick stayed. In the early 1800s, the U.S. government built Fort Wood there. This star-shaped fort helped protect New York Harbor.

The island became very famous when it was chosen to hold the Statue of Liberty. France gave the statue to the United States to celebrate the country's 100th birthday. The statue was finished in France in 1884 and was dedicated on October 28, 1886, by President Grover Cleveland. In 1956, Congress officially named the island "Liberty Island."

Museums

The American Museum of Immigration used to be on Liberty Island. It opened in 1972 but closed in 1991.

The Statue of Liberty Museum opened in 2019. It holds the statue's original torch and shows how the statue was built. The museum was paid for by many generous donors.