Statue of Liberty torch
When the Statue of Liberty opened to the public, visitors were welcome to climb up a steep ladder inside the arm, only twelve at a time, and step out onto the torch for a magnificent view of New Yorks’ skyline. If, that is, they were brave enough to withstand the shaking these climbers would feel from inside the arm. On July 30, 1916, nearby Black Tom Island suffered an explosion (later blamed on German agents) at the armaments production facility. When the Statue of Liberty was hit by some of the Black Tom shrapnel, officials closed the torch off for visitors. The National Park Service cites the Black Tom explosion as the reason the torch is closed but has not officially stated why it hasn’t reopened for over one hundred years. There may be concerns about deterioration from visitors making the climb, or its long-term ability to sustain the weight.
