Liberty Island: The Pedestal of the Statue of Liberty

The Statue of Liberty stands on Liberty Island in Upper New York Bay, 600 m (2,000 ft) southwest of Manhattan's Battery Park.

Island History

• Pre-colonial: Lenape territory ("Mannahatta" satellite).
• 1667–1956: Bedloe's Island (Isaac Bedloe, Dutch colonist). Used for quarantine, fortification (Fort Wood, 1807–1811).
• 1886: Statue dedicated on Fort Wood's star-shaped walls.
• 1956: Congress renamed it Liberty Island (PL 84-486).
• 1937: National Monument (expanded 1965 to include Ellis Island).

Physical Facts

• Area: 5.95 ha (14.7 acres).
• Access: Ferry only (Statue City Cruises from Battery Park, NY & Liberty State Park, NJ). No private docking.
• Facilities: Museum (2019), pedestal access (reservation), crown access (advance booking, 354 steps), audio tours, café, gift shop.
• Jurisdiction: Federal (NPS). NY/NJ border runs through surrounding waters.

Symbolic Geography

The island's isolation—surrounded by water, facing the harbor entrance, backed by the Manhattan skyline—embodies the "gate to the New World" narrative. Ellis Island (immigration station) 800 m north completes the arrival ensemble.