In 1865, a French political intellectual and anti-slavery activist named Edouard de Laboulaye proposed that a statue representing liberty be built for the United States. This monument would honor the United States’ centennial of independence and the friendship with France. French sculptor Auguste Bartholdi supported Laboulaye’s idea and in 1870 began designing the statue of “Liberty Enlightening the World.”
While Bartholdi was designing the Statue, he also took a trip to the United States in 1871. During the trip, Bartholdi selected Bedloe’s Island as the site for the Statue. Although the island was small, it was visible to every ship entering New York Harbor, which Bartholdi viewed as the “gateway to America.”
Creating the Statue of Liberty~ http://www.nps.gov/stli/learn/historyculture/places_creating_statue.htm

Vintage Photos: Construction of the Statue of Liberty in Paris and NYC~
http://untappedcities.com/2013/10/28/vintage-photos-construction-statue-of-liberty-paris-nyc/

Biography of Auguste Bartholdi~ https://www.nga.gov/collection/artist-info.6761.html

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