Statue Of Liberty's Crown: "Awesome" AND "Uncomfortable"

Yesterday, the Statue of Liberty's crown reopened to excited crowds. But the visits were tempered with the reality of climbing 354 steps during a beautiful (and warm!) day: The NY Times reports, "No wonder by the time these huddled masses reached the top of the hot, sticky and narrow staircase, they were indeed yearning to breathe free." One visitor said it was "absolutely awesome!" and "intensely uncomfortable." Anyway, one couple made the most of the heady views—Aaron Weisinger of Walnut Creek, California proposed to girlfriend Erica Breder. Breder said yes, "I had no idea. Even when he got down on one knee, I still didn't know what was going on." Weisinger explained why the holiday was important to the couple—their families immigrated from Eastern Europe, his great-grandparents through Ellis Island and Breder's father came to New York and drove a cab when he arrived from Czechoslovakia. Weisinger said, "The Statue of Liberty symbolizes independence and freedom. It's a pretty unique spot."

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Jen Chung in News on July 5, 2009 2:12 PM

Comments [rss]

Spirit of 76

I just took a glance at the Statue Cruises website to see how far into the next year they're completely sold out. Talk about pathetic. Their site is down. You'd think with as much traffic as they got that first weekend when tickets were available, they would have upgraded their servers. I'm not the only one. I see plenty of complaints that when the site isn't down, it's often just painfully slow.

Ah, it's finally responding. Looks like World News Tonight lied again. Their July 3rd report said "tickets are already sold out through next winter." I see tickets available all day many days in September. Most days are also available in October and November. I'd say that's the best time to go, when the statue interior will be neither sweltering nor an icebox.

But WNT did show footage of the small elevator that goes as high as the shoulder, noting it's "for emergency use only." So where are all the geniuses now who were previously calling me an idiot and/or liar for saying such an elevator exists above the pedestal?

Kingpin

The act of leaving one country for another is "emigrated", not "immigrated".

tsol

She's 25?

Dead Himmler

How corny and unoriginal to propose in the statue of Liberty. I popped the question at the Empire State Building. It was beautiful and cheap.

Snoopy

I missed the answer by a minute. I knew it. I knew it. No top floor acts for you my good man.

Did she then take the elevator to the top floor and jumped off?

Dead Himmler

I swear she tripped in front of that taxi. Right after saying yes of course.

Snoopy

Yeah wasn't there a Longchamps restaurant on the ground floor of the Empire State Building? Did you split a cheeseburger and a Coke after she said no? Or did you make her pay for her own?