Workmen constructing the Statue of Liberty in Bartholdi's Parisian warehouse workshop
Countless stories have been told of immigrants making their way across the Atlantic, and the first sight they see of New York in the fog is the light of our Lady Liberty. The neoclassical sculpture, a gift from the French created over an 11-year period, has become a worldwide phenomenon and one of the best New York attractions. Originally boasting shimmering copper skin, a green patina (naturally occurring in copper that's been exposed to air after a long time) has transformed her into the iconic emerald beauty she is today. Enjoy these historic—and in many cases, surreal—photos of the construction of the Statue of Liberty, dating from 1876.
