Topics in Chronicling America - The Statue of Liberty

The unveiling of the Statue of Liberty in 1886 forever changed the New York skyline. Designed by Frederic Bartholdi, the statue was a gift from France – although Americans raised the funds for the pedestal she stands on. Only dignitaries were invited to attend the statue’s official dedication ceremony, but an estimated one million people took part in a parade and festivities around New York to mark the occasion. Read more about it!

The information and sample article links below provide access to a sampling of articles from historic newspapers that can be found in the Chronicling America: American Historic Newspapers digital collection (http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/). Use the Suggested Search Terms and Dates to explore this topic further in Chronicling America.

Jump to: Sample Articles

Important Dates:

• Summer 1878: Statue’s head, along with plans for completed work, on display at Paris World’s Fair, Exposition Universelle.
• Summer 1885: Fundraising efforts, spurred on by publisher Joseph Pulitzer, collect money to complete the statue’s pedestal.
• October 28, 1886: Dedication ceremony, presided over by President Grover Cleveland, takes place on Bedloe’s Island – soon to be renamed Liberty Island.

Suggested Search Strategies:

• [Try the following terms in combination, proximity, or as phrases using Search Pages in Chronicling America.] Lady Liberty, Bartholdi, Bedloe’s Island, Liberty Enlightening the World (the statue’s formal title)
• It is important to use a specific date range if looking for articles for a particular event in order to narrow your results. For best results, limit your search to articles published between the years 1875 and 1886.

Sample Articles from Chronicling America:

• "The Statue for New York Harbor," The Forest Republican (Tionesta, PA), April 17, 1878, Image 4, col. 3.
• "Our Paris Letter," New Ulm Weekly Review (New Ulm, MN), September 18, 1878, Image 4, col. 1.
• "The Colossal Statue of Liberty," The Evening Critic (Washington, D.C.), October 11, 1881, Image 4, col. 1.
• "Let the Good Work Go On," Daily Yellowstone Journal (Miles City, MT), May 20, 1885, Page 1, Image 1, col. 5.
• "Bartholdi's Statue," The National Tribune (Washington, D.C.), May 28, 1885, Page 8, Image 8, col. 4.
• "Bartholdi's Big Girl," New Ulm Weekly Review (New Ulm, MN), July 29, 1885, Image 1, col. 5.
• "The Big Statue of Liberty," New-York Tribune (New York, NY), October 24, 1886, Page 9, Image 9, col. 1-4.
• "Liberty," The Daily Times (Richmond, VA), October 29, 1886, Page 1, Image 1, col. 3-5.
• "The Statue of Liberty," The Columbian (Bloomsburg, PA), November 5, 1886, Page 1, Image 1, col. 5-8.
• "Liberty's Light," The Iola Register (Iola, KS), November 5, 1886, Image 6, col. 4-7.