France gave the United States the Statue of Liberty, which was dedicated in New York Harbor in 1886.
The monument was conceived as a gift from the people of France to commemorate the friendship between the two nations and the ideals associated with American independence. French sculptor Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi designed the statue, while Gustave Eiffel helped create its internal iron framework.
The copper-clad figure represents Liberty Enlightening the World. It stands on Liberty Island, formerly called Bedloe's Island, near the entrance to New York Harbor. The statue holds a torch in one hand and a tablet bearing the date July 4, 1776, in the other.
President Grover Cleveland presided over the dedication ceremony on October 28, 1886. The monument later became closely associated with immigration because millions of newcomers passed nearby while arriving at Ellis Island. The statue's copper exterior has developed its familiar green patina over time.