Liberty Island is an island in Upper New York Bay on which the Statue of Liberty stands. The 12-acre (5-hectare) island lies about 11/2 miles (2.4 kilometers) southwest of Manhattan Island. Before the island was officially renamed in 1956, it was called Bedloe’s Island. The Statue of Liberty, given by France in 1884, was dedicated on the island in 1886. It stands on a pedestal that rises from within Fort Wood, whose walls were built in the shape of an 11-point star between 1806 and 1811.
The Statue of Liberty National Monument was established in 1924, but it did not include the land outside the walls of Fort Wood. Fort Wood remained an active military post until 1937, when the remainder of the island became part of the national monument. In 1965, nearby Ellis Island became part of the monument, which is managed by the National Park Service. In 2019, the Statue of Liberty Museum opened on the island. New York state has jurisdiction over Liberty Island.
See also Statue of Liberty .
