Liberty Island in Manhattan in New York County, New York — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
Building the Statue of Liberty
Photographed by Bill Coughlin, November 7, 2011
1. Original Marker
The French sculptor, Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi designed the Statue of Liberty as a giant three-dimensional jigsaw puzzle. Over 300 thin sheets of copper, most of it from a copper mine in Karmoy, Norway, fit together to form the Statue’s outer skin. Each copper sheet is 3/32 of an inch thick, about the thickness of two coins. The sheets were shaped in France using the ancient repoussé method in which the metal is hammered and shaped within large wooden and plaster molds. The finished pieces were then shipped to the United States where they were assembled and supported on an ingenious iron framework of armature bars and girders designed by Alexandre Gustave Eiffel.
Erected by National Park Service.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Man-Made Features.
Location. This marker has been replaced by another marker nearby. It was located near 40° 41.318′ N, 74° 2.69′ W. Marker was in Manhattan, New York, in New York County. It was on Liberty Island. It could be reached from Communipaw Avenue. Marker is located on the south end of Liberty Island. Touch for map. Marker was in this post office area: New York NY 10004, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker was in New York City. It was also in the American Northeast and in the Mid-Atlantic. Globally, it was in the North Atlantic Region, North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it found itself in what was once New Netherland and also one of the original Thirteen Colonies.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within
this page online
Other markers no longer nearby. Liberty’s Symbols (was within shouting distance of this marker but has been replaced with another marker now near it); The Pedestal (was within shouting distance of this marker but has been replaced with another marker now near it).
More about this marker. Portraits of Frédéric-Auguste Bartholdi and Alexandre-Gustave Eiffel appear at the bottom of the marker. Also on the marker is a picture depicting the “Construction of the Statue of Liberty, from a sketch in ‘Leslie’s Weekly,’ early 1886.” Another picture of a cross-section of the Statue shows “The interior framework designed by Eiffel.”
Photographed by Bill Coughlin, November 7, 2011
2. Building the Statue of Liberty Marker
Photographed by Bill Coughlin, November 7, 2011
3. Marker on Liberty Island
Photographed by Bill Coughlin, November 7, 2011
4. Statue of Liberty
Photographed by Craig Baker, June 1, 2022
5. Building the Statue of Liberty Marker
Credits. This page was last revised on September 21, 2025. It was originally submitted on November 7, 2011, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey. This page has been viewed 1,021 times since then and 17 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on November 7, 2011, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey. 5. submitted on June 2, 2022, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California.
Editor’s want-list for this marker. Profile with transcription of the replacement marker which has a different inscription from this marker. • Can you help?
