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Henry Hudson and other europeans begin to colonize the Oyster Islands.
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Isaac Bedloe otains a colonial land grant for Oyster Island.
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Francis Lovelace the governor at the time allows Isaac Bedloe ownership of the island. As long as the island is renamed Love Island.
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Governor Lovelace is overthrown. Love Island is renamed Bedloe's Island.
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The English take over Bedloe's Island.
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Isaac's Widow, Mary Bedloe Smith sells Bedloe's Island to Adolph Philipse and Henry Lane.
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NYC takes possesion over the island, The island is now used as a quarantine station, inspecting incoming ships for cintamination and disease
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During the American Revolution, Bedloe's island is used as an asylum for Tory sympathizers.
Tory sympathizers where American colonists loyal to Great Britain during the war. -
After the American Revolution, and also rising tensions between the United States, France, and England the federal government stepped in to build military constructions and buildings designed for defense on Bedloe's Island.
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The United States Army makes Bedloe's Island a military post until 1937.
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The military portion of Bedloe's Island is named Fort Wood.
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Edouard de Laboulaye proposes that France give a statue representing liberty to the United States. To celebrate the U.S. centennial, and the recent Union victory in the American Civil War.
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Auguste Bartholdi, becomes the sculptor of the Statue of Liberty.
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Bartholdi comes to the United States to scout out possible sites. Bartholdi discusses the project with politicians and publishers.
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Bartholdi returns to France having found the perfect site, Bedloe's Island in New York Harbor.
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Laboulaye makes a formal request to President Ulysses S. Grant to use Bedloe's Island as the Statue's official site.
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Bartholdi begins constructing the Statue.
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This section of the Statue is displayed at the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia on May 18th.
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The Statue's head and shoulders are completed and displayed for the first time at the Paris Universal Exposition
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Alexandre-Gustave Eiffel is hired by Batholdi to complete the project. Alexandre-Gustave Eiffel must overcome many obstacles such as the Statues's structure and assembly, height, weight, and the high winds in New York Harbor.
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Eiffel uses a 98 foot inner iron framework that will support the Statue's structure.
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The Statue's copper plates are completed and the first rivet is driven into the structure. The Statue is gradually built near the Parc Monceau, in Paris.
The French fall in love with her.
She is referred to as the "Lady of the Park." -
General Charles P. Stone is appointed as Chief Engineer, responsible for 15 foot deep foundation for the pedestal on Bedloe's Island and the construction of the pedestal.
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The Statue is taken down in Paris and shipped to the United States aboard the French navy ship the Isère. It arrives in New York Harbor on June 17th. The Statue is met with tremendous fanfare and a naval parade, but is placed in storage for a year while the pedestal is completed.
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The Statue's pedestal is completed.
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The Statue of Liberty is completed.
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The Statue of Liberty National Monument celebrates 125 years!
