My Visit to the Statue of Liberty, May 2001
This page last modified on April 25, 2004.
I took this picture in May of 2001, while visiting Liberty Island with my father and my step-sister’s fiance, Tom.
Tom is a sheriff in Florida, and one of his hobbies is to trade department patches with other law-enforcement personnel whenever he travels. At one point during our visit, we went into the park police headquarters and he struck up a conversation with one of the officers. After the anticipated greetings, conversation and patch-exchange, one of the officers excused himself and explained that it was about time for him to make his rounds. Then he invited us to come along. That jaunt included an elevator ride and a walk up a few flights of spiral staircase to Miss Liberty’s crown. Realize that this area had been off-limits to the general public for several months – years? – while renovations and safety improvements were being implemented, and is still not open to the general public. Since the terrorist attacks of September 11 of that same year, the observation deck may not be accessible for many years to come.
So this photo may very well be the last one ever taken of the World Trade Center from within the Crown of Miss Liberty.
For some excellent background on the Statue of Liberty and the safety and security issues related to the closure
of the observation deck within the crown, see Readied for a Post-9/11 World by
John Zeaman of The Record. (You'll have to register with that site in order to read the article, but it's worth doing. Just don't give them your e-mail address.)
Here are some more photos from our Liberty Island trip:
