Statue of Liberty Reopens: New York Landmark Opened on July 4th After Being Closed for 8 Months

The Statue of Liberty reopened to visitors once again on July 4th. The landmark had been closed since Superstorm Sandy hit in October and damaged Liberty Island.

The reopening was a grand event as tourists rose bright and early to be some of the first to visit the landmark for the first time in over eight months. The opening featured fife and drum players to celebrate the event on

Independence Day. Mayor Michael Bloomberg took part in a ribbon-cutting ceremony.

"I hope this is the last reopening," Bloomberg said according to AFP.

The Statue of Liberty has had many reopenings. On October 28, 2012, the crown of the Statue was reopened to visitors after going through a year of renovations. The following day, the island was devastated by Sandy. Three-quarters of the island flooded, docks and railings were loosened and damaged, power and phone lines were affected and even the sidewalks were ripped up.

Maintenance crews had to replace at least 53,000 bricks before the opening, but only sections of the island were open.

"The infrastructure is an ongoing challenge," National Park Service spokesman John Warren told AFP. "It's not only that we need to restore electrical power, sewage, and all of that, but we need to place it somewhere (where) it will not
be devastated by the next storm. We are rebuilding smarter."

Visitors didn't mind the ongoing issues. About 15,000 people visited the island throughout the day and they were happy to be there. There were long lines of people waiting in Battery Park all day waiting to board the ferry to the island.
"This is our first trip to New York, and this is a great way to spend July 4th," Lolita Perkins, who who visited the crown told AFP.

It cost $77 million to repair Liberty Island and nearby Ellis Island. Ellis Island, the port where millions of immigrants passed through in the early 20th century, was hit harder by Sandy than Liberty Island and is still closed to the public. No date of its reopening has been announced.