Statue of Liberty cornerstone laid on Bedloe's Island
- When
- 1884
- Where
- Bedloe's Island
- Episodes
- 1
The cornerstone for the Statue of Liberty was laid on Bedloe's Island in New York Harbor on August 5, 1884. This event occurred during the pedestal construction phase, preceding the statue's arrival in 1885 and its 1886 dedication. The island, now known as Liberty Island, was selected for its visibility to incoming vessels.
Episodes
Background and detail
Pedestal Construction. Construction on the foundation began in 1883, and the pedestal's cornerstone was laid in 1884. Fundraising for the pedestal in the United States began in 1882. The statue remained in Paris pending sufficient progress on the pedestal, which was not completed until April 1886.
Site Selection. Bartholdi focused on Bedloe's Island as a site for the statue, struck by the fact that vessels arriving in New York had to sail past it. The island is a federally owned island in Upper New York Bay, enclosed by New York City boroughs and New Jersey municipalities.
Sources
- Statue of Liberty Wikipedia, revision of 2026-10-05
- Liberty Island Wikipedia, revision of 2026-08-28
- New York Harbor Wikipedia, revision of 2026-07-25
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