Lady Liberty celebrates fourth of July

A symbol of freedom, opportunity and an icon of history, the Statue of Liberty has seen its fair share of American triumphs and troubles. The structure, which closed for repairs two years ago, will reopen to the public on the Fourth of July, allowing visitors and natives to visit the grounds and enter the 305-foot-tall Lady Liberty. The statue has been under a rigorous repair schedule, with the most recent closing after Superstorm Sandy flooded the island it stands on in October. The storm covered all of Ellis Island and 75 percent of Liberty Island on October 29, merely one day after the 26^th anniversary of the statue’s dedication. John Warren, spokesman for the Statue of Liberty National Monument mentioned that they worked very hard to restore the national landmark before the July 4 opening, and luckily, most of the damage was unseen, “the water never touched the pedestal of the Statue of Liberty,” says Warren to USA Today. On July 4, the first ferries are scheduled to arrive at Liberty Island at 8:43 a.m. Tickets to visit the historical landmark can be purchased online, by phone or in-person at the ferry station. For more information, visit the National Park Service website: http://www.nps.gov/stli/planyourvisit/feesandreservations.htm [caption id="attachment_8245" align="aligncenter" width="534" caption="Photo courtesy of USA Today"][/caption]