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Almost 100 years after the statue was dedicated, Liberty needed more than a facelift. Almost every part of her needed repairs.
A fund-raising effort began in 1984 for Liberty’s 100th birthday, which was two years away. President Ronald Reagan formed a commission. Money came from thousands of people. Everyone from schoolchildren to big businesses helped out.
Engineers, architects, contractors, and 500 skilled workers helped in the repair effort. The statue had to be closed. Two and a half years and $86 million later, the statue was all fixed up. On July 4, 1986, French President François Mitterand and U.S. President Ronald Reagan attended a ceremony. A laser beam “lit” the torch. Thousands watched nearby. Many more saw it live on TV. It was a proud day, honoring a 100-year-old lady who was strong enough to keep the dream of freedom and opportunity alive.
The statue’s head was leaning to one side. It was so bad that one point of her crown almost poked a hole through the copper skin on the right arm. Her head had to be pushed back into place. Her left arm was also repaired.
Cosmetic repairs were made to one of Liberty’s nostrils. Her right eye, lips, and chin also needed work.
Workers had to replace thousands of bolts. They had to replace hundreds of the 1,800 iron ribs that held the copper sheets in place. Only a few ribs could be replaced at a time. Otherwise, the statue wouldn’t have had enough support.
The rusted torch was lifted away by a crane. A new torch replaced it. The statue also got a new flame. Covered with 5,000 sheets of gold leaf, the flame is lit from the outside by 16 floodlights. They sit around the torch’s rim.
Paint and rust had to be removed. Workers used high-pressure equipment. They mixed extremely cold liquid nitrogen (–325°!) with baking soda. This was blasted onto the inside walls and ribs of the statue. Here, a worker removes paint from inside Liberty’s face.
Baking soda also removed tar from inside the statue. But it kept leaking out. As a result, Liberty needed daily cleaning so her color wouldn’t change.
The double spiral staircase inside the statue had to be repaired. It was closed in with glass to make it safer. It also got new handrails.
