Historical1886
Statue of Liberty Dedicated
President Grover Cleveland dedicated the Statue of Liberty on Bedloe's Island (now Liberty Island) in New York Harbor. The statue was a gift from France, designed by Frederic Auguste Bartholdi and engineered by Gustave Eiffel.
Why It Matters
The Statue of Liberty became the most recognized symbol of American freedom and the welcoming of immigrants, embodying the nation's ideals of liberty and opportunity for all.