Statue Of Liberty National Monument

Statue of Liberty National Monument is a national monument comprising Liberty Island and Ellis Island.It includes the Statue of Liberty, situated on Liberty Island, and the former immigration depot on Ellis Island . The Statue of Liberty was dedicated in 1886. The immigration station at Ellis Island opened in 1892 and closed in 1954.

President Calvin Coolidge used his authority under the Antiquities Act to declare the statue a national monument in 1924.In 1937, by proclamation 2250, President Franklin D. Roosevelt expanded the monument to include all of Bedloe's Island, and in 1956, an act of Congress officially renamed it Liberty Island.Ellis Island was made part of the Statue of Liberty National Monument by proclamation of President Lyndon Johnson in 1965.The United States historic district, a single listing on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places, was designated in 1966.The monument is managed by the National Park Service as part of the National Parks of New York Harbor office.

Significance
The Statue of Liberty is a World famous symbol of freedom, given by France to the United States in celebration of friendship. Nearby Ellis Island was the first stop for millions of immigrants to the U.S. in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The national monument recalls this period of massive immigration to the United States.

Location And Access
The national monument is located in Upper New York Bay east of Liberty State Park in Jersey City, New Jersey and southwest of Battery Park at the tip of Manhattan in New York City. Entrance is free, but there is a charge for the ferry service that all visitors must use.

In 2007, a concession was granted to Statue Cruises to operate the transportation and ticketing facilities, replacing the Circle Line which had operated the service since 1953.The waters are patrolled by the US Park Police to enforce the restriction on private boat landings. Ferries depart from both parks and all boats stop at both islands, enabling passengers to visit both islands and choose either destination on the return trip.

Tickets can be purchased at Castle Clinton in Battery Park or at the Communipaw Terminal in Liberty State Park. Along with the ferry ticket, visitors intending to enter the statue's pedestal must also obtain a complimentary ticket Those wishing to climb the 154 stairs to the crown within the statue must obtain a special ticket, which may be reserved up to a year in advance. Ten people per group, three groups per hour, are permitted to ascend, allowing for a total of 240 per day. After an obligatory second security screening, they may bring only medication and cameras, leaving all other items in lockers provided.