Lady Liberty Marks Real 100th Year
The Statue of Liberty’s actual 100th anniversary was celebrated Tuesday with a ceremony designating it a landmark of the world.
The simple, one-hour gathering stood in sharp contrast to the Fourth of July extravaganza that was staged in honor of France’s gift to America. The four-day bash in July featured a tall ships parade and a fireworks display that drew millions of visitors to New York.
Just one brass band played Tuesday on Liberty Island, and Interior Secretary Donald P. Hodel said the ceremony was intended to be as pure and direct as the statue’s message of freedom.
“Our ceremonies this morning are simple, just as the statue sends forth her very simple message: This is the land of Liberty,” Hodel said.
The statue, dedicated on Oct. 28, 1886, by President Grover Cleveland, was added to the list of World Heritage Sites, which includes other landmarks such as the Great Pyramids of Egypt.
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