She used to be copper color, but now she's green. Probably because she's got the
Hudson River and the
East River flowing around her. If you're a young strong person, you can climb the 354 steps to the crown where you have 0.03 seconds to look out the windows before you get pushed over to the down-stairs. Once upon a time, you could even go up the arm to the torch. Due to the age and weakening of the arm, this is no longer available to the public.
The statue was originally built in France in 1875 by sculptor Auguste Bartholdi and structural engineer Gustave Eiffel (of Eiffel Tower fame). It was completed in 1884 and presented to America by the people of France on July 4, 1884. It was disassembled and shipped to the United States the next year.
The height of the statue is 151' 1" (46.5m) from base to torch. From the foundation of the pedestal to the torch, it is 305' 1" (92.99m). On her plaque, is written (in Roman Numerals, July 4, 1776, the day of independence from Britian).
While most New Yorkers have seen the statue, most have never actually been there. It seems that the majority of people visiting the statue are tourists, and English is the minority. Much like the observation decks of the World Trade Center or Empire State Building, a New Yorker will only go if their out-of-town visitor asks them to go.