Statue of Liberty National Monument (Episode 17)

Send us Fan MailThe Statue of Liberty is one of the most recognized symbols in the world — and most people have never really seen her. The broken chains and shackles at her feet. The torch that was swinging 12 inches off its axis when crews reached it in the 1980s. The fact that Americans almost didn't fund the pedestal at all, and it took a newspaper crowdfunding campaign to make it happen.Matt Hush, archivist at Statue of Liberty National Monument, joins The Parks Podcast to tell the full story — of the gift from France, the abolitionist politics behind the statue's design, and the remarkable promise of Ellis Island, where approximately 12 million immigrants were welcomed into the United States between 1892 and 1954.Missy also shares her personal experience visiting both islands — and what Ellis Island made her feel about how America welcomes people, then and now.In this episode: — The real reason France gave the United States the Statue of Liberty — The broken chains at her feet that most visitors never see — How she was built twice — and almost not funded at all — The crowdfunding campaign that saved the pedestal — Ellis Island: what the arrival process was actually like for 12 million immigrants — What almost happened to Ellis Island after it closed in 1954 — Everything you need to know to plan your visit — ferries, timed tickets, what to packLinks mentioned:  Plan your visitNPS AppFerry ticketsSave Ellis Island hardhat toursSupport the show