When we think of the United States, we mentally project one of the country’s most recognizable landmarks: the Statue of Liberty. It was a gift from the French to the Americans to commemorate the declaration of Independence and a sign of friendship between the two nations. Today it remains one of the most famous monuments in New York and around the world, especially for what it symbolizes.
The symbol of Lady Liberty is a majestic teal-colored statue with a torch and a crown that personify the freedom of the Americans. However, it turns out that the Statue of Liberty was not designed to be blue, nor has it always been as we know it today.
As we have spoken lines ago; the Statue of Liberty was a gift from the French in 1886 to commemorate the centennial of the United States Declaration of Independence and as a representation of friendship. The monument was originally a shiny copper but, as the decades passed, the appearance of the statue changed; first it transformed to a brown color and, finally, it evolved to the greenish blue hue.
The color change is the result of oxidation and pollution produced by the air. The combination of reactions over the years have caused the Statue of Liberty to be seen in different colors. A video posted by the American Chemical Society broke down each stage of the statue’s chemical transformation.
youtube video
Once it was placed in New York Harbor, the copper on the exterior of the monument began to react with oxygen and moisture. The chemical reaction created tenorite, which is why its bright copper color became darker. It was later when sulfuric acid -air pollution- would react with tenorite and oxidized copper; painting the exterior of the landmark in green color.
By 1906 the traces of copper had completely disappeared and the statue was the color we know today. At the beginning of the 20th century, Congress wanted to restore its original color, but Americans protested that they could not imagine the statue in any other color.
The exterior of the statue is finally the final color, which means that it no longer reacts to any type of exterior substance. The color teal will continue to stand for freedom and symbolize the United States.
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