We’ve all had the experience of assembling (putting pieces together) furniture, a toy, or an appliance (machine used in the home). Sometimes, it turns out to be (has the unexpected result of) a bigger and more difficult job than we anticipated (expected; predicted).
Now imagine putting together the Statue of Liberty.
I talked about the Statue of Liberty in English Cafe 488, so you already know that the Statue was a gift from France, and that it was transported from France to the United States in June of 1885.
But did you know that the Statue arrived in over 210 packing crates (large containers made of wood used for transporting things) with 350 pieces inside?
Once the pedestal (base; foundation) was built, the workers began assembling the Statue. Fortunately, under the direction of (with the guidance or help of) French sculptor Auguste Bartholdi, who designed the Statue of Liberty, the Statue had been constructed on a frame (hard structure) in France. Each piece had been assigned (given) a number or a symbol (simply drawn figure or picture) before it was dissembled (taken apart) for transport to the U.S.
The pieces that should be fit together (put next to or connected to each other) had matching numbers or symbols, and they had holes that lined up with (matched) holes in the adjacent (next to it) piece so that they could be riveted together (for short metal pins or bolts to be placed through both, connecting the two).
The outer (on the outside) pieces were made of thin copper, a light-weight metal that is a reddish-brown color. Although the French workers had packed each copper piece very carefully, many of the pieces were bent (had their shape changed) during the sea voyage (trip). The workers assembling the Statue had to patiently (carefully, without being in a hurry) put the pieces back into their original shape.
The Statue of Liberty was unveiled (shown to the public) on October 28, 1886. You can see some of the pieces before and during assembly here and here, and here.
~ Jeff
Photo Credit: Head of the Statue of Liberty from Wikipedia
Hello everyone, thanks Jeff.
I love that statue and what it represents.
In my mind, as her name suggests, it stands for freedom of speech.
Let us not forget that in many countries there is not such a thing. In those countries bloggers and journalists speaking out the truth get assassinated.
Just recently we witnessed a terrible case of an attack to freedom of speech from that same country that donated the statue to the U.S.
Bye, thanks.
A heck of a job!
Just amazing !
It shows that everything is possible.
It is a proof of the fact that humans can do anything if they set their minds on it.
They just need to put their back to it.
What makes me wonder is not how they manage to put pieces together but how on earth they lift the heavy humungous pieces high up in the air and slide them together.
There were no cranes or fork-lifters back then ,were there?
It was more than a century ago for God’s sake!
How did on earth they assemble the huge pieces of metals right up in the air?
Scaffolding ?
How long did it take them to put the whole status together ?
How did they secure tons of metals on a pedestal. The statues that size needs a very deep foundation underneath to keep it erected at all times, otherwise a breeze will knock it over.
They must have excavated a very deep dig on the ground before they put up the status. Given the location of status, which is an island ,they could not dig the ground deep enough before the water underneath gushing.
Besides ,it is a known fact that damp soil never supports a sky-scraper building. the building will collapse.
They must have used a lot of beams and rafters to shore up the foundation. No , they must have been iron bars down-below
Do we have scaffolding structure back then?
It is mind boggling ,isn’t it ?
I better get out of bed
Pete
I am going to school now so I am not able to tell the story of a bridge built in Vitória, Capital do the State of Espírito Santo, Brazil. The story is similar to that of Statue of Liberty.
Aecio
Hi chief ,
I was at the foot of the statute of liberty once or twice.I never get to go all the way up though.
Every time I was there ,it was closed to the publics for some repair and restoration or bad weather if I recall correctly.
The statute doesn’t have just symbolic value. It is the land mark of New York.
Besides ,The Government is making good money out of it. There is an admission fee to it.
Like CN tower which I think ,is the land Mark of Tornto.
It is one of the major tourist attraction here and the government making a big buck out of it.
Although,not that I think of it, there is some newly tourist site added to the whole CN tower sight seeing experience which totally upstages CN tower,overshadow it one might say.
The recently added tourist site is a huge aquarium built like underneath CN tower that represent a vast variety of marine life which is quite mesmerizing in and of itself.
The admission fee for it is $50 which is pricier than CN tower cover charge.
The cover charge for CN tower is 35 dollars if you are going to the steeple like roof top which is a balcony that circling the main instructure of the tower with a paramount view. U have a bird’s eye view of the whole downtown and up town Toronto.
The balcony circles the main pillar on top and is open to public. There is a metal-lattice fencing installed all around the balcony on the outside of the balcony for safety measures.
Back in 2011 , the government allowed a daredevil sporting rather stunt activity which later on adopted the name ” Eagle walk.”
Which is very scary foolhardy activity.
People walk all around the main pillar on the edge of roof top of the restaurant which situated like below the balcony In 355 meter above the ground. The roof top is scary narrow.
They usually walk over there in a group. Each individual member of the group wears an special overall with gears and strong straps attached to it.
Each member of the group secures themselves against a scaffold like structure on the roof of the restaurant right down -below the balcony.then ,they start walking on the edge of the roof of the restaurant with their body almost perpendicular to the edge of the roof in 355 meter above the ground.
If it is not foolhardy then what is it?
I get goosebumps just thinking about it.
I better stop I m feeling the hair on the back of my neck stands on end just talking about it. My hair definitely crawling.
I better go before I wet my pants :)))
Pete
Hey Dan,
I see your point ,totalitarian governments don’t allow people voice their concerns. They always get their way.
Another words,they say : my way or highway.
In every era in the history of mankind you can track local governments whoes their means of ruling over people was Suppression and oppression.
Well , it is how the world works!
From where I stand freedom like happiness is a state of mind subject to interpretation.
Yours
Pete
The time has come now. In the 1960’s I was young. Actually, a boy, who liked to walk around here and there. In my home city there was a bridge, called 5-bridge, imported from Germany, which was brought in pieces, on a ship, in early twenty century. As a boy, I was fond of jumping into the water like an arrow and I was good at it. That bridge is still working in that town, allowing cars and people to cross from one side to another side. In fact, that bridge connects two sides of a canal of salted water.
Seeing Jeff telling the story of Statue of Liberty, I remembered of my beautiful Vitória with that bridge.
Thanks guys for the patience.
Aecio
Well-put Acio
Pete
Hello everyone.
How are you guys, I am good.
About the statue, I was thinking that often times I hear criticism towards the US, but how many countries around the globe can proudly claim to have such a statue
and what it represents? Think about that.
I am not saying that they do not deserve some criticism, who does not?
Bye!
By the way, it is interesting to say that the Statue of Liberty was a gift given by French people to USA and you know why? Because There is an old quarrel between France and England. To make a revenge against England, France settled to give that statue to make English people angry. Do you think it was accomplished? I dont think so. Anyway …
Aecio
I have the feeling that people are going away. I don’t know, but there were more people writing comments here. Where did they go? Somewhere? Plese don’t go, stay with us, we love you.
Aecio
Hi,
Interesting topic the Statue of Liberty…in 350 pieces.
“The Statue of Liberty Enlightening the World” is recognized as a universal symbol of freedom and democracy.
It was designated as a National Monument in 1924.
But now with the Europe’s migrant crisis…
Maybe all migrants need of a Statue of Liberty Enlightening their Way to a better life.
A friend in need is a friend indeed.
Hellp. Tania. Glad to have you here again.
Aecio