8. The Statue of Liberty Arrived in Pieces to the United States
On June 17th 1885 the Statue of Liberty arrived from France in New York Harbor aboard the steamship, the Isère. Split into pieces and packed into crates, the Statue of Liberty actually arrived without its signature arm and torch–it came earlier and was displayed in Madison Square Park from 1876 to 1882 as a fundraising effort for the pedestal of the statue. 200,000 people came to greet the Isère, reflecting the changing tide of opinion about the sculpture. The statue was finally dedicated in 1886, with United States President Grover Cleveland presiding.