Statue of Liberty – Jersey City, New Jersey
When we visited the Statue of Liberty, our approach was from the New Jersey side. Walking towards the dock for the ferry, it was incredibly moving to see the 9/11 memorial and the skyline of Manhattan in the distance. The opening within the grove of trees provided a perfect vista.
Approaching the statue, again we saw Freedom Tower in the distance that replaced the earlier World Trade Center. Inside the pedestal of the statue we found the original torch sculpture.
Ellis Island was our first stop. As we approached the dock, the Art Deco and Egyptian Revival details atop one of the buildings caught my eye. The winged disk here was appropriated to have a patriotic connotation, with the wings looking like an eagle and the two stars in the corner. The zigzag and chevron detailing on the metal tower above with eagles perched on the four corners was also a patriotic reference.
During our visit this day New York Harbor and the statue were covered in fog.
We appreciated the details of the Main Building with its towers, stone trim, elaborate cornices with dentils, and brackets. The stone trim and red bricks create contrast and break up the wall surface.
Once inside the lobby space provides an opportunity to pick what areas of the building you want to focus on. Directions are given to exhibits at different locations.
On the second floor is the hall where as many as 5,000 immigrants were processed each day. The barrel vault lined with tile in herringbone pattern creates a grand space with relatively open span in the middle.
Arched window openings from floor to nearly ceiling allowed ample natural light to be admitted. Everything was lined in tiles allowing for easy cleaning.
Outside again, some of the other buildings on the island were visible across the inlet, but not accessible to most visitors.
Visit in 2023
This view of the base of the podium from the statue gives a sense of its vastness and breadth.
The Information Center is an impressive building with a green roof, rising from the plaza. Curtain walls give views of the harbor and of museum exhibits inside.
