About barbara

I'm sure you are wondering how the blog was named, "The Enchanted Manor". Well, this blog will be like home to me and I wanted a name that reflected my different interests. During a normal day you can find me in several rooms of the house. Maybe I'll be in the living room decorating, or in my craft room working on a project, or in the dining room planning a great dinner party or at the computer in my office planning a great vacation. When you come to visit my blog you might find me in any room! Please return often for ideas and inspiration because this blog will be about decor, craft, celebration and travel. So, welcome to the "Enchanted Manor". Come in, sit down and let's talk!

Craft – Mickey Mouse Wreath

Posted on November 18, 2015 by barbara

To honor Mickey Mouse’s birthday, here is a fun wreath to make for the upcoming Christmas season. As a collector of Disneyana (a term meaning a wide variety of collectible toys, books, theme-park souvenirs and other items produced and/or licensed by The Walt Disney Company) I have several figurines, stuffed animals, and other collectibles of Mickey Mouse … and so much more!! (Please click on the link, Disney Memorabilia Collection, for information on how I have displayed these items in our home)

For this craft project I decided to use a porcelain Mickey Mouse figurine that stands about 6 inch tall. I made two different version of the wreath using different accessory items. Version #1 is simple design using just the Mickey figurine and a few embellishments and version #2 uses the same items but I have added three Mickey Christmas ornaments depicting iconic Disney movies. Mickey made his official debut in the short film, “Steamboat Willie (1928) which was one of the first sound cartoons and Mickey went on to appear in over 130 films such as “The Band Concert” (1935) and Fantasia (1940).

Mickey Mouse Wreath Supplies

Artificial pine wreath (size is determined by items used)
Wreath accents to create more interest to the plain wreath (for version #1 I added velvet holly leaves and gold berry sprays and for version #2 I also added gold leaves)
1 large Mickey Mouse item (for both versions I used a porcelain figurine, but a stuffed Mickey would also look great!)
A variety of embellishments (I used some Mickey key chains for version #1 and for version #2 I used three Mickey Christmas ornaments)
Wire, used to secure the items
Hot glue gun and glue sticks, used to secure the items

Mickey Mouse Wreath Instructions

Start with a plain artificial pine wreath
Add some accents to the wreath to create interest or add color, attach with hot glue
Place the large Mickey Mouse item in the center of the wreath, attach with wire
Add embellishments to the wreath, attach with wire to secure or hot glue

(photo on the left is version #1 and on the left is version #2)

For some other ideas for Disney wreaths, please click on the following links: Christmas Wreath Craft Post featuring the Hallmark ornament series called “Mickey’s Holiday Parade” and next month’s Disney Wreaths Decor Post and Special Ornaments Wreaths Decor Post.

Travel – California Missions (Part Two)

Posted on November 10, 2015 by barbara

In Part Two of the four part series on the California Missions I will discuss five of the twenty-one missions: Mission Santa Barbara, Mission San Ines, Mission La Purisima Concepcion, Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolusa and Mission San Miguel Arcangel that are all located in Central California. But, first a brief history of the California Missions …

In the 17^th century Spain sent the Portola expedition led by the Governor of Baja California, a group of military soldiers and several Franciscan Friars. The expedition would establish permanent settlements in Alta California, defended by the soldiers and Father Junipero Serra was put in charge of the padres that would convert the Native American population to Christianity.

Then, in 1833, the Act for the Secularization of the California Missions followed by the Decree of Confiscation in 1834 removed the administration of the Missions from the Catholic Franciscan Padres and given to the Mexican government. Eventually the vast properties of the Missions were divided and land grants were given to prominent Mexicans.

In 1848, after the Mexican-American War and when California became the 31^st State in 1850, the United States Army occupied many of the Missions. Some of the Missions were used as garrisons and the soldiers lived in converted barracks. Ultimately, on March 18, 1861, President Abraham Lincoln decreed that the California Missions should be returned to the Catholic Church. Throughout the following years many of the Missions were abandoned or neglected and fell into disrepair while others became local parishes of the Catholic Church that are still in use today.

Now, the five missions of the Central California …

Mission Santa Barbara

Mission Santa Barbara was founded by Father Fermin Lasuen on December 4, 1786; it is the 11th Mission of the California Missions. The Mission is named for Saint Barbara and it is located in Central California in the beautiful resort city of Santa Barbara. Today it remains the only California Mission still under the continuous administration of the Franciscan Order.

Centuries before the Mission Santa Barbara was established, a Spanish explorer Sebastian Vizcaino visited the region. This was almost 60 years before another Spanish explorer named Juan Cabrillo had traveled up the coast of Alta California in 1542. Later, in 1782, the Portola expedition of Spanish military soldiers and Franciscan padres visited the area and the site was noted as a possible location for a future Mission. But it took several more years before the Mission Santa Barbara was established because Governor Felipe de Neve and Father Junipero Serra did not agree as to when the Mission would be built, Governor de Neve felt that the establishment of the Presidio took priority over the building of the Mission. Finally in 1784, Father Serra received confirmation that the funds were available to precede with the construction. Unfortunately Father Serra died shortly afterwards and Father Lasuen took over the administration of the California Missions.

Over the next decade, three different churches were built on the site. The first church was a small building was erected with a thatch roof and dirt floors. Then in 1789, a larger adobe church was built with a clay tile roof. By 1794, an even larger church was built to accommodate the growing Mission population and a large quadrangle was also built to enclose the Mission church, dormitories, kitchen, storage rooms and warehouses. A large Moorish-style fountain was built in 1808 and it was part of a larger water system of the Mission with a dam (still located in the present day Santa Barbara Botanical Garden), two reservoirs, aqueducts and even a stone laundry basin located in front of the Mission.

After the Mission was severely damaged in the 1812 Santa Barbara earthquake the decision was made to rebuilt the church. It has been said that the inspiration came from a book on ancient architecture that the padres had in the Mission library, in particular a Roman temple originally designed by Vitruvio Polion in 27 B.C. Construction began shortly after the earthquake and was completed in 1820; the new church measured 161 feet in length, 27 feet wide and 42 feet high. The Greco-Roman style stone façade features several Doric columns positioned below a triangular pediment with 87 feet high toers on both sides, the first tower was built was completed in 1820 and the second tower was completed in 1833. After another earthquake hit the Santa Barbara area in 1925 and afterwards the stone façade was rebuilt and reinforced with steel and concrete, but the interior of the Mission church has remained unchanged since 1820.

The Mission Santa Barbara is different than the other 20 California Missions in the fact that it has been continuously occupied by the Franciscan Order. After the Mexican government secularized the California Missions in 1833, the new head of the Franciscan Order, Father Narciso Duran, moved the headquarters to the Mission Santa Barbara and later the new Bishop of California also set up his headquarters at the Mission. For these reasons, the Mission Santa Barbara became the oldest library in the State of California which has been continuously administrated by the Franciscan Order. The library and archives hold the original journals and letters of Father Junipero Serra, over 3,000 original California Mission documents that were formerly held at the other various 21 Missions and also a large collection of books, maps and prints pertaining to the early history of California.

In 1861, when President Lincoln decreed that the California Mission be returned to the Catholic Church, the deed for the Mission Santa Barbara was officially given to the Franciscan Order. The property and buildings directly adjacent to the Mission were used as throughout the following years as a higher learning facility and in 1901 it became the Saint Anthony’s Seminary. Today, the city of Santa Barbara has grown into a resort destination and the area near the Mission has been surrounded by private residences. Mission Santa Barbara, the “Queen of the Missions” remains an active local Catholic parish of the Diocese of Los Angeles.

Mission Santa Ines

Mission Santa Ines (Ynez) was founded on September 17, 1804 by Father Estevan Tapis; it is the 19^th California Mission. The Mission is named for St. Agnes of Rome and is located in the San Ynez Valley near the charming city of Solvang. It was established to be halfway between the Mission Santa Barbara and Mission La Purisima Concepcion to serve the large Chumash Native American population that lived on the central coast area of Alta California. By 1812, the Mission church was completed and then disaster struck when a large earthquake centered 45 miles southwest in Santa Barbara and destroyed the building. The new church, completed in 1817, was rebuilt with sturdy 5 foot thick walls and pine beams made from the trees in the local mountains; the appearance of the interior has changed very little since 1820.

After months of Native American unrest against the Spanish military soldiers and the Franciscan padres, the Chumash Revolt of 1824 was started after a soldier at the Mission San Ines attacked a young Native American girl. In retaliation the Chumash attacked the Mission and set fire to the property. When the confrontation was over, the Mission Church was burning but, suddenly feeling concerned about what they had done, the Chumash quickly put out the fire and the building was saved. Afterwards, still unhappy with their controlled treatment by the Spanish soldiers and the Franciscan padres, most of the Chumash left the Mission never to return.

In 1833, the California Missions were secularized and the surrounding property of the Mission Santa Ines was divided and given away as land grants. Then in 1843, the Mexican governor once again took control of the land and gifted 34,499 acres in the Santa Ynez Valley to the Archdiocese of Los Angeles and the College of Our Lady of Refuge was created as the first Catholic seminary in California. Almost forty years later the college was closed and abandoned in 1881, the land was eventually sold to private owners the following year.

The Mission buildings fell into disrepair and Father Alexander Buckler of the Capuchin Franciscan Order slowly began renovations which continued until his death in 1930. Much later in 1949, from funds received by the William Hearst Foundation, the dilapidated bell tower of the Mission was fully restored. The mural on the walls of the interior Mission church which were painted over were also being uncovered and restored, the wooded figurine of Saint Agnes reverently still stands near the center of the altar. Throughout the years, the charming Danish village of Solvang has been built nearby and today the Mission Santa Ines is used by the local parish of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles.

Mission La Purisima Concepcion

Mission La Purisima Concepcion was founded on December 8, 1787 (the Feast of the Immaculate Conception) and is located near the present day city of Lompoc; it is the 12^th California Mission to be established. The Mission church construction was started in 1788 and completed in 1791. The Chumash Native Americans in the region were initially receptive to the Mission System and there were several hundred baptisms performed during the first years of the Mission La Purisima. The Mission also prospered by increasing their livestock herds to over three thousand cattle, over five thousand sheep, over three hundred horses and almost 40 mules. Then, in 1812, a devastating earthquake stuck the region followed by a series of aftershocks that severely damaged the Mission La Purisima. The decision was made to move the Mission several miles to the east and a new church was built and completed in 1815, the ruins of the original Mission can still be seen today in Lompoc.

In 1823, Mexico fought and won their independence from Spain and hostilities were developing between the new government and the remaining Spanish soldiers who began to take out their frustrations on the local Native Americans. As previously mention in the section on the Mission Santa Ines, the Chumash Revolt of 1824 was started in retaliation after a Spanish soldier attacked a Native American girl. The Chumash in the region rebelled against the remaining Spanish military and also the Franciscan padres. At the Mission La Purisima several Native Americans took hold of the Mission’s buildings and barricaded themselves inside for over a month until a group of soldiers from the Monterey area arrived to regain control of the Mission, 16 Chumash were killed and many more wounded. Afterwards, the Chumash fled the area for fear of continuing under what they thought of as harsh and unfair conditions. (Mission Trivia: In recent times legends of the haunting of Mission La Purisima have been documented. Park rangers, tour guides and visitors to the Mission have reported hearing flutes playing and ghostly voices, eerie drafts of cold air and ominous shapes seen which are all said to be the restless spirits of the Chumash Native Americans who perished at the Mission)

From 1834 to 1843, the newly independent Mexican administration secularized the California Missions and as a result of this decision the Mission La Purisima was abandoned and the land was given away or sold. Then, in 1934, 500 acres of the Mission property was acquired by the County of Santa Barbara. The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) started the restoration process of the remaining nine buildings of the Mission using centuries-old building techniques; such as creating molds for 11,000 adobe bricks, 32,000 terra-cotta roof tiles and 10,000 interior floor tiles. The Mission buildings and original water system were fully restored and completed by 1941. (Historical Note: The Mission La Purisima gardens were also fully restored in the mid to late 20^th century. E.D. Rowe, a horticulturist, extensively researched the journals of the padres and other Mission records to find what original plants and trees were used. Today the gardens of Mission La Purisima contain some of the finest examples of early Californian flora. If you are interested, I would highly recommend taking some time to walk in the beautiful gardens, each plant is labeled for easy identification)

Today, the Mission is no longer used as a Catholic parish but instead it has become part of the La Purisima Mission California State Historic Park that includes 967 acres with a comprehensive visitor center and guided tours which is administrated and maintained by the California Department of Parks and Recreation. The Mission is also noted today as a living history venue which features volunteers dressed in period costumes and demonstrating crafts dating back to the mid to late 18^th century.

Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa

The Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa was founded on September 1, 1772 by Father Junipero Serra near the present day city of San Luis Obispo; it is the 5^th California Mission. The Mission was named for Saint Louis of Anjou who was the bishop of Toulouse, France. Several years earlier, in 1769, the Spanish Portola expedition entered the area which they called the “Valley of the Bears” because of the abundance of bears, soldiers of the expedition returned a year later to establish a military settlement and the Mission Carmel a little further north up the coast near Monterey Bay. Several years later, when food sources at the Presidio and Mission Carmel started to decrease, a hunting party was sent south to the Valley of the Bears to secure a fresh supply of bear meat and Father Serra decided that the location would be a good site to establish another Mission, the Mission San Luis Obispo would eventually be built near the San Luis Obispo Creek. Between 1794 and 1809, the Mission San Luis Obispo went through extensive building construction. The Mission church was an unusual L-shaped design, most church were traditionally built in a standard cross shape. Additional buildings were constructed and eventually enclosed within the large quadrangle in 1819. To celebrate the completion of the Mission, two bells made in Lima, Peru where placed in the bell tower.

After the California Missions were secularized, the Mission San Luis Obispo property was divided and sold. Then in 1846, John Fremont and his group of military soldiers, known as the “California Battalion”, used the Mission San Luis Obispo as their headquarters during the “Bear Flag Revolt” and the buildings were converted into barracks. Later, the Mission was abandoned and several years passed before it was used as the San Luis Obispo County’s first courthouse and jail. Then, in 1933, the Mission underwent an extensive restoration project and it is the centerpiece of the Plaza in downtown San Luis Obispo, the Mission is currently used as a Catholic parish church of the Diocese of Monterey.

Mission Trivia: Today, the California Missions have become known for their iconic red clay tiled roofs but the roofs of the first Missions were mostly made of dried grass. As the years passed and there were several instances when the thatched roofs caught fire and destroyed the buildings this prompted the need to find a more fire-resistant material. The padres at Mission San Luis Obispo recalled the tiled roofs of their native Spain and soon began making tiles from the local red clay; they supplied the tile for many of the 21 California Missions. Water and clay were mixed together and then flattened to the correct thickness and then placed over curved wooden forms with a layer of sand used between the clay and the form to keep the tiles from sticking, the tiles were approximately 22″ long and tapered 12″ to 20” across. After trimming off the edges excess clay, the tiles were first dried in the sun and then baked in a kiln.

Mission San Miguel Arcangel

Mission San Miguel Arcangel was founded on July 25, 1797 by Father Lausen and it is named for Saint Michael the Archangel; it is the 16^th of the California Missions. The location of the Mission was considered ideal since it was situated in a fertile valley and near two rivers, the Nacimiento and the Salinas. The site was also within easy travel distance from the San Joaquin Valley which had a large population of Native Americans which the Franciscan padres hoped to convert to Christianity. A small wooden chapel was originally built but within a year it was replaced by a larger adobe church, unfortunately it destroyed by fire in 1806. The current church was built between 1816 and 1818; it is 144 feet long and 27 feet wide with a 40 feet high ceiling. The interior walls of the church were painted by Estevan Munras, a Spanish artist, in 1818 but the beautiful and vibrant colors of the murals, trompe l’oeils (a painting specifically created to give the illusion of a three-dimensional object) and reredos (a decoration behind the altar of a church usually depicting religious images) can still be seen today.

The history of the Mission San Miguel follows like most of the California Missions through the Act for the Secularization of the California Missions then by the Decree of Confiscation which removed the administration of the Missions from the Catholic Franciscan Padres and given to the Mexican government. Like the other Mission the properties of Mission San Miguel but years later President Abraham Lincoln decreed that the California Missions should be returned to the Catholic Church. Today, the Mission is currently a local Catholic parish church of the Diocese of Monterey. Recently, the Mission suffered damage from the 2003 San Simeon earthquake, restoration work was required and it reopened in September 2009.

Mission Trivia: Located a short distance from the Mission San Miguel is a campanario (a bell tower or wall which usually stands alone and unattached to a building) which was built during a restoration project in 1939. The campanario holds three bells each weighing 2,000 pounds, the bells were recast in 1888 from the bells taken from the other missions. Originally one of the bells was hung from a large wooden scaffold in front of the Mission San Miguel.

This concludes Part Two of the four part series on the California Missions. In the series, l discuss all of 21 Missions moving from southern to northern California and starting with the first Mission located in San Diego to the San Buenaventura Mission in Part One, then from the Santa Barbara Mission to the San Miguel Arcangel in Part Two and from San Antonio de Padua to the Santa Cruz in Part Three and then from the Santa Clara de Asis Mission to the most northern Mission San Francisco de Solano in Part Four.

Decor – Framed Mission Map and Medals

Posted on November 5, 2015 by barbara

This month I am doing a four part series on the California Missions and I thought I would take the opportunity to show you a craft project that I did a few years ago. As previously mentioned, in the California Mission Travel post, there are 21 missions that were established by the Junipero Serra along the coastline of California to convert the Native Americans to Christianity. When we lived in California as a small child our family visited many of the missions, in fact the San Fernando Mission was located a few miles from my childhood home in the San Fernando Valley. Several years later when I had my own family we often visited the Missions that were located near our weekend travel destinations. In fact, at one point it became our quest to visit ALL the Missions! So, over the next few years we visited 16 out of the 21 Missions before we had moved to the Midwest. (Our plan is to visit those 5 last remaining Missions when we return to California for summer vacations!!)

When visiting the Missions we would stop in the gift store to buy souvenirs, sometimes a book or saint holy cards and I always bought a medal from that particular Mission and so far I have collected the 16 medals. I wasn’t sure what I was going to do with them; I thought maybe I would put them on a charm bracelet. I knew that I wanted to create something special to remember the Missions that were an important part of our lives in California. Then when we moved into our new house in the Midwest I came up with a great idea! I remembered during one of our visits to the Missions that I had bought a map of California showing the location of the 21 Missions and I decided it would be perfect for what I was planning.

I bought an inexpensive frame to fit the size of the map, it was an irregular sized frame but I was able to find one that worked. The map had a blank space around the edge and this is where I hot glued the Mission medals to the glass of the frame making sure to leave an empty spot for the ones that we were missing. It was a simple craft project and it now hangs on the wall of our home next to our bookcase filled with our California memorabilia and it will forever bring back memories of family trips to the California Missions.

Travel – California Missions (Part One)

Posted on November 3, 2015 by barbara

The story of the California Missions started many centuries ago when Juan Cabrillo, an explorer sent by the Spanish King to explore the west coast of North America, sailed into the bay of present day San Diego in 1542. Cabrillo continued his journey and sailed along the coast of California as far as the area of present day San Francisco. But by the 17^th century Spain was not the only country interested in this new land, Russia had begun establishing forts in the northern region of California to aid in their lucrative fur trapping. As a result of this potential foreign threat an expedition was commissioned by King Carlos III to protect the territory a unit of military officers and a unit of military officers and soldier would include a group of Franciscan Friars. It was thought that in order to succeed in colonizing Alta California and establishing permanent settlements they needed to convert the Native American population to Christianity so that they would remain dependent and loyal to the Spanish Crown.

The Franciscan Friars had already helped to establish Missions in Baja California and now they were given this new important task for Alta California. There would be five expeditions that would sail from Baja California, Governor Gaspar de Portola would be in charge and Father Junipero Serra (born November 24, 1713 died August 28, 1784) would be chosen to lead the group of Franciscan missionaries. Three ships departed from Baja California, the San Carlos and the San Antonio (a later supply ship, the San Jose, was lost at sea), landing in San Diego in mid-1769. Between 1769 and 1823 twenty-one missions were established along the coastal region of Alta California. Mission San Diego de Alcala was the first Mission that was established in 1769 followed by the Mission San Carlos Borromeo de Carmelo in 1770. Then, over the next 54 years more Missions were established along the El Camino Real covering the 442 miles distance between the Mission San Diego and the Mission Carmel. Several additional Missions were also built north of the Mission Carmel and the final Mission, Mission San Francisco de Solano, was added in 1823.

As settlers came into the region, they introduced many European fruits and vegetables, cattle and horses, ranching and farming techniques to the Native Americans. In 1821, Mexico gained independence from Spain but unfortunately under Mexican jurisdiction the Missions did not receive the same support as in the past. In 1833, the Act for the Secularization of the California Missions followed by the Decree of Confiscation in 1834 removed the administration of the Missions from the Catholic Franciscan Padres and given to the Mexican government. Eventually the vast properties of the Missions were divided and land grants were given to prominent Mexicans, these became the famous Ranchos of California.

In 1848, after the Mexican-American War and subsequently when California became the 31^st State in 1850, the United States Army occupied many of the Missions. Some of the Missions were used as garrisons and the soldiers lived in converted barracks. Ultimately, on March 18, 1861, President Abraham Lincoln decreed that the California Missions should be returned to the Catholic Church. Throughout the following years many of the Missions were abandoned or neglected and fell into disrepair while others became local parishes of the Catholic Church that are still in use today.

For this four part series on the California Missions, I will discuss all of 21 Missions moving from south to north and starting with the first Mission located in San Diego to the San Buenaventura Mission in Part One, then from the Santa Barbara Mission to the San Miguel Arcangel in Part Two and from San Antonio de Padua to the Santa Cruz in Part Three and then from the Santa Clara de Asis Mission to the most northern Mission San Francisco de Solano in Part Four. So, let’s get started …

Mission San Diego de Alcala

Mission San Diego de Alcala is the first of the 21 California Missions and was founded on July 16, 1769 by Juniperio Serra. Located near present day downtown San Diego, the original site was built overlooking the San Diego Bay but five years later the Mission moved east and six miles inland. The new location close to the San Diego River was better situated for growing crops and everything was progressing according to plan and by the summer of 1775 the missionaries had baptized 315 of the Native Americans.

Several years passed and during that time a fraction of the Natives Americans were becoming unsettled living with the regulations and other restrictions set by the Spanish military and missionaries. On November 4, 1775 several hundred Native Americans from a nearby village revolted and stormed into the Mission burning, looting and killing several people including Father Jayme. (Historical Note: Father Jayme became California’s first Catholic Martyr and he is buried near the altar of the current Mission San Diego)

Less than a year after the incident, Father Serra returned to rebuild the Mission but this time it was fortified with 9 feet high walls built of adobe. The Mission continued the long process of reorganization and later became a successful horse and mule breeding farm that supplied the other missions. By 1797, the Mission now included 55,000 acres that was planted with corn, wheat, barley and vineyards that produced grapes for wine. The Mission had also started growing olives that produced good quality olive oil. (Historical Note: The olive tree had been introduced to California by Father Francisco de Lasuen in 1802 and cuttings from those trees would later be used to establish and supplement the successful California olive industry)

Then in 1803, after suffering from a two-year drought, the decision was made to construct a dam and an aqueduct. Supervised by the Padres and built by the Native Americans. Located about five miles east of the Mission the dam was built across the San Diego River; it was about 224 feet across, 12 feet high and 13 feet thick. The aqueduct used a gravity-flow system and was built with tiles laid onto stone foundations and was completed in 1817.

In 1821, Mexico gained independence from Spain and eventually the jurisdiction and administration of the Missions transferred from the Catholic Church to the Mexican government. As a result, in 1840, the first Bishop of California was appointed, Francisco Garcia Diego y Moreno, and the Mission became the center of the newly created Diocese of Alta California until it was eventually moved the Mission Santa Barbara in 1842. The Mexican government sold the land surrounding the San Diego Mission to Santiago Arquello in 1846.

After the Mexican-American War, the United States Army occupied the Mission turning it into a garrison and housing the soldiers in barracks until 1858. The Mission was abandoned until 1891 when it was turned into St. Anthony’s Industrial School which was run by the Sister of St. Joseph of Carondelet, the school eventually moved to Banning, Ca and the Mission was once again closed. In 1931, the Mission was rebuilt to resemble the original 1813 church and today it is used as a local parish for the Catholic Diocese of San Diego.

Mission San Luis Rey de Francia

Located 5 miles east of present day city of Oceanside, the area was first visited by the Portola expedition in 1769 and became a frequent stop for camping on the El Camino Real that connected the Missions. Eventually a permanent settlement was established and the Mission San Luis Rey de Francia was founded on June 13, 1798 by Father Fermin Lasuen and was named for Saint Louis in honor of King Louis IX of France. The Mission church was built in 1811 and it is the 18^th of the California Missions.

The San Luis Rey Mission was the largest, almost 950,400 acres, and one of the most prosperous of the twenty-one Missions and it had been said that it was one of the best designed due to the fact that it was one of the last Missions built. The Mission is built on a small hill and it featured a 500×500 feet quadrangle surrounded by a sunken garden and a special water system featuring a unique charcoal filters through which the water flowed into the fields.

Within the courtyard of Mission San Luis Rey is the first Peruvian Pepper Tree (schinus molle) planted in California, today the tree can be seen beautifully framed by an arch. Legend has it that the seeds of the pepper tree came from a ship’s captain that had visited the Mission as a guest in 1825 and to repay the padres kindness during his visit he gifted them a handful of pepper tree seeds. The pepper tree is known for its fragrant leaves, knotted trunk and clusters of small pink berries that resemble peppercorns, hence the name of the tree. Subsequently, peppers trees were planted at the other Missions and were valued for the shade they provided and the tolerance to the semiarid conditions of California. Much later, the pepper tree proved to be so popular that after California became a state in 1850, the tree was renamed the California Pepper Tree.

After the secularization of the Missions in 1834, the Mission San Luis Rey was abandoned and after many years it fell into disrepair. Then in 1895 Father Joseph O’Keefe was put in charge of restoring the Mission and the work was completed in 1905. A Catholic seminary was opened at the Mission in 1950 but as enrollment significantly decreased it was finally closed in 1969. Today, the Mission San Luis Rey is an active Catholic parish of the San Diego Diocese.

Mission Trivia: The Mission San Luis Rey was used for the filming of the 1957 Disney television series “Zorro”. The fictional character of Zorro was originally created by Johnston McCulley in the 1919 “Curse of Capistano” book. Zorro was a wealthy land owner living in California that secretly became a black masked outlaw who defended the local people from the injustice Mexican officials and he was known for his cunning ways of outsmarting the authorities and publicly humiliating them.

Mission San Juan Capistrano

The Missions San Juan Capistrano is the seventh in the chain of the 21 California Missions and was founded by Junipero Serra, on November 1, 1776. The mission was named for the Italian Crusader, Saint John of Capistrano and was first built as a small adobe church 1778. It was later replaced by a much large church to accommodate the growing population in 1782 and has the distinction of being one of the oldest buildings still in use in California. For more detailed information, please click on the link to the previous Travel Post about Mission San Juan Capistrano.

Mission San Gabriel Arcangel

Mission San Gabriel Arcangel was founded on September 8, 1771 by Father Junipero Serra; it is the 4^th California Mission. The Mission was named for the Archangel Gabriel and is located in the present day city of San Gabriel. The original proposed site was located on the Rio de los Temblores (later renamed the Santa Ana River) but the Padres chose an alternate site located in a fertile area situated along the Rio Hondo River. Unfortunately, in 1776, a flash flood destroyed the Mission and the decision was made to relocate it five miles away and closer to the San Gabriel Mountains. The current Mission church was designed in a Moorish-style of architecture by the Spanish born Padre Antonio Cruzado; the design was inspired by the Cathedral of Cordoba located in Spain. The Mission features unusual elements like unique buttresses, tall narrow windows and arched shell decorations that are not seen in the other California Missions.

Then, on December 9, 1812, the devastating Wrightwood earthquake hit the area destroying the original three-bell tower on the east side of the Mission, later it was replaced by a larger six-bell structure. (Historical Note: Bells were important to the daily life of the Missions, not only did they mark the time and hours in the day but they were also rung to call the Mission residents to meals, work and religious services and they marked local births and deaths, in addition the bells signaled approaching ships or returning missionaries)

Between the years 1771 to 1834 over 25,000 baptisms were performed at the San Gabriel Mission but with the secularization of the Missions by the Mexican government, the properties were lost or given away but the Mission church continued to function as a local parish. In 1908, the Claretian Missionaries of the Sons of the Immaculate Heart of Mary Order took over responsibility of the San Gabriel Mission and began extension restoration work to repair the buildings. Much later, on October 1, 1987, the Whitter earthquake hit and the Mission sustained more damage. Today, the San Gabriel Mission remains open as an active parish of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles.

Mission Trivia: According to legend, the expedition constituting of Franciscan padres accompanied by Spanish military soldiers was confronted by a large group of hostile Native Americans, the Tongva tribe, which intended to drive the expedition members away from their land. To calm the Native Americans and demonstrate their peaceful purposes, one of the padres laid the “Our Lady of Sorrows” painting on the ground and the Native Americans were deeply moved by the painting’s beauty and a potentially volatile situation was avoided. Today, the 300 year old painting is hung at the front of the Mission San Gabriel church’s sanctuary.

Mission San Fernando Rey de Espana

Mission San Fernando Rey de Espana was founded on September 8, 1797 by Father Fermin Lasuen, it is the 17^th California Mission. The Mission was named for Saint Ferdinand and also King Ferdinand of Spain, it is located in the northern section of the San Fernando Valley near the present day city of San Fernando. The area was first visited by the Portola expedition in 1769 and became a frequent stop for camping on the El Camino Real that connected the Missions; Father Juan Crespi noted in his journal that the site location in the foothills of the mountains would be an excellent location for a future Mission.

By 1819, the San Fernando Mission had 21,000 head of livestock and had a successful industry producing hides and leather for saddles, shoes and sandals as well as supplying leather strips used for building materials. In addition to the cattle, the Mission also had 8,000 sheep and 2,300 horses. The Mission padres also taught the local Native Americans their European techniques for farming and working with domesticated animals as well as working with European-styled tools.

Sadly in 1845, several years after Mexico gained their independence from Spain; the Mission buildings were sold and later used in a variety of different ways. The buildings were used by the Porter Land and Water Company as a warehouse and then later a hog farm was located on the property. In 1896, the Mission returned to the Catholic Diocese of Los Angeles and repair work was overseen by Charles Lummis. In 1923 priests from the Oblate Order came to the Mission and it returned to use as a local parish. In the 1940s, the Hearst Foundation funded a total restoration of the San Fernando Mission but sadly the 1971 Sylmar earthquake severely damaged the buildings and the extensive repairs took three years to complete.

Mission Trivia: In 1842, the first gold discovery in California was actually at a site known as the Oak of the Golden Dream in Placerita Canyon located near the Mission. Francisco Lopez, a local rancher and the brother of the foreman at the San Fernando Mission, found gold clinging to the roots of wild onion that he had dug up. This would precede the famous gold discovery of 1848 at Sutter’s Mill located near Coloma in northern California which is credited for being responsible for the California Gold Rush.

Mission San Buenaventura

Located near the present day downtown Ventura is the Mission San Buenaventura which was founded on March 31, 1782, it is named for Saint Bonaventure. The Mission San Buenaventura is the 9^th California Mission and the last one to be established by Father Junipero Serra who later died in 1784. Fifty years earlier, Juan Cabrillo had landed near the present site and claimed the area for Spain. It was originally intended that the Ventura Mission would have been built ten years earlier because it was geographically located approximately halfway between the San Diego Mission and the Carmel Mission but circumstances, such as the lack of military support for protection from the Native Americans and inadequate funds for building, caused it to be established much later than planned.

The first church burned down in 1793 and a small section is still standing. The second church took 16 years to rebuild and it was completed in 1809, it is still in use as the local parish church of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. Then, supervised under the direction of Padre Cambon and with the labor of the Chumash Native Americans, an aqueduct system was built between 1805 and 1815 using the same techniques developed from the other California Missions. The source of the water was the Ventura River located just north of the Mission and flowed into storage tanks waiting for distribution. With a great abundance of water the Mission flourished with orchards of apple, pears, peaches, pomegranate, fig and olive trees and grape vineyard. (Historical Note: The two Norfolk Pines located at the front of the Mission were planted by a ship’s captain over 100 years ago in the hopes that a forest would eventually grow to provide wood for ship building)

After the Mexican government’s secularization of the California Missions in 1834, the San Buenaventura Mission was later obtained illegally by Don Jose Arnaz. Later, during the Mexican-American War of 1846-47, a large U.S. Army battalion led by Major John Fremont encountered a small band of hostile locals near the Mission but the battalion managed to easily defeat them. Then, after California became a state in 1850, the jurisdiction of the California Missions returned to the Catholic Church.

In 1857, the Fort Tejon earthquake hit the region and the Mission was severely damaged and the original terra cotta tile roof was replaced with a more modern shingle roof. Additional changes came to the interior of the Mission church in 1893 when Father Cyprian Rubio supervised extensive renovations that sadly painted over the original artwork painted on the walls; he also covered the original tile floor of the church. In the following years the city of Ventura grew and the Mission was soon surrounded by businesses and housing.

By 1921, the west sacristy was replaced with a parochial school for the local children, a rectory and convent were built and the roof of the church was retiled. In the During the 1950s, a major restoration to the Mission was supervised by father Aubrey O’Reilly and a concerted effort was made to return it to its former original appearance. In the years that followed a new and larger school building was built and all that remains of the original Mission are the church and the garden. Today, the San Buenaventura Mission continues to be an active local parish of the Archdiocese of Los Angles.

Mission Trivia: As previously noted, the bells of the Missions played an important part in the daily lives of the padres and other residents. The bells found today in the bell tower of San Buenaventura Mission were originally intended for the Santa Barbara Mission. The north bell is inscribed S. San Francisco 1781, the east bell bears the inscription: San Pedro Alcantra 1781, the smaller south bell is Ave Maria S. Joseph and the largest bell at the top bears the inscription Ave Maria Pruysyma D Sapoyan Ano D 1825, it is the only bell that is used daily. In addition, there are also two wooden bells in the museum that measure about two feet, these were the only wooden bells in the California missions.

This concludes Part One of the four part series on the California Missions. In the series, l discuss all of 21 Missions moving from southern to northern California and starting with the first Mission located in San Diego to the San Buenaventura Mission in Part One, then from the Santa Barbara Mission to the San Miguel Arcangel in Part Two and from San Antonio de Padua to the Santa Cruz in Part Three and finally from the Santa Clara de Asis Mission to the most northern Mission San Francisco de Solano in Part Four.

Travel – Statue of Liberty

Posted on October 28, 2015 by barbara

The iconic Statue of Liberty was a gift from France to the United States which was installed in New York Harbor almost one hundred and thirty years ago. The Statue of Liberty has become a constant symbol of the American freedom and liberties offered to the many immigrants traveling by steerage passage from the far off shores of Europe to the promising land of a new world throughout the past centuries. Over the last twenty years I have been researching my family’s genealogy and I can only imagine what a welcoming site it was when my maternal grandparents from Poland and my paternal grandparents from Italy accompanied by my father (as a young boy) arrived in the United States at nearby Ellis Island in the early 1900s. Many years later, on their honeymoon in New York City, my parents climbed to the top of the Statue of Liberty’s torch and looked out at the great city far below.

In this Travel post, I will discuss the construction and the history of the Statue of Liberty which took place in France and the construction of the pedestal which would be located on Liberty Island in New York Harbor in the United States. I will also discuss the history of the Statue of Liberty throughout the years. So, let’s get started …

A brief history of the Statue of Liberty

Inspiration and design of the Statue of Liberty –

There are several theories as to when and where the idea for the Statue of Liberty was first proposed but all involve Edouard Rene de Laboulaye who was a French poet, author and anti-slavery activist during the time of the American Civil War. After the war ended, Laboulaye became the president of the French Emancipation Committee which aided the newly freed slave in the United States. He is credited for coming up with the idea of creating a monument to be a gift from the French people to the United States to show their support of the recent victory by the Union. Laboulaye also felt that the monument would bring attention to the French fight for democracy under the repressive monarchy of Napoleon III. At some point, Laboulaye collaborated with his friend Frederic Auguste Batholdi who was an accomplished sculptor but it would be several more years until the idea became a reality.

Bartholdi original sketch of the Statue of Liberty circa 1880

When Laboulaye and Bartholdi felt the time was right to proceed with the idea, Bartholdi went to the United States to meet directly with President Ulysses Grant to offer a proposal for the monument. He also traveled throughout the country meeting with other prominent and influential men to discuss the idea and gain support. As Bartholdi arrived in New York City he took notice of a small island (Bedloe’s Island) in the harbor, which he found out later was owned by the United States government, and he felt that it would be the perfect site for the monument. But once again, Laboulaye and Bartholdi decided to wait until they could gain more public support in both the United States and France.

Meanwhile, Laboulaye and Bartholdi were creating the monument’s design in which would convey the idea of American liberty. Throughout the history of the United States the female figure of Columbia was used frequently, much like the figure of Marianne represented France and Britannia represented Britain. Another female figure was the ancient goddess of freedom, Libertas, which was being used on American coins and was also depicted in the 1863 Thomas Crawford’s Statue of Freedom which is placed on the dome atop the United States Capitol Building. The figure of Libertas was also depicted in the Great Seal of France. Laboulaye and Bartholdi decided that their statue of Libertas would measure over 151 feet in height and be draped in robes and holding a torch in her right hand to represent enlightenment. Bartholdi designed the face to have an expression of calm and upon her head there was a crown with seven rays to represent the sun, the seven seas and the seven continents. Originally the thought was to have the figure hold a broken chain but finally the decision was made to place it at her feet, it is almost hidden by her robes and somewhat difficult to see from the ground. In her left hand the female figure holds a tablet to represent the value of the law and it is inscribed with “July IV MDCCLXXVI” to note the date the Declaration of Independence was signed on July 4, 1776.

Construction of the Statue of Liberty –

By 1875, with the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia about to open the following year, Laboulaye decided the time was right to announce the project and the Franco-American Union was formed to raise funds. France would finance and build the statue and the United States would finance and built the pedestal on which it would be placed. At this time the statue received an official name, “Liberty Enlightening the World” and the announcement generated a favorable response on both sides of the Atlantic. To call even more attention to the project, Bartholdi planned to go ahead with fabricating the statue’s right arm holding the torch to be display at the Exposition. Bartholdi consulted with his friend Eugene Viottet le Duc, an experienced architect and engineer, and it was decided that the masonry form of the statue would be covered with layers of copper panels less than an inch thick which would be applied by heating the metal and then hammering it into shape. (It has been estimated that over 200,000 pounds of copper was needed to build the completed statue)

As the date of the Exposition rapidly approached Bartholdi went to Philadelphia as a member of the French delegation and they brought a massive painting of the proposed completed statue and also the arm and torch that was barely finished in time to ship to Philadelphia. After the exhibition closed, the arm and torch were moved to New York City to be displayed for several years while committees in New York, Boston and Philadelphia organized to raise the necessary funds to build the pedestal. On March 2, 1877, on his last day in office President Grant signed a joint resolution to accept the statue from France. The next day, the new incoming President Rutherford Hayes officially selected the site as Bedloe’s Island in the New York Harbor, which had been originally proposed by Bartholdi.

After returning to Paris after the Exposition, Bartholdi oversaw the building of another portion of the figure from the head to the shoulders. Construction took place once again at the Gaget, Gauthier & Co. warehouse, tickets were sold to the public to view the work progressing and lottery tickets were also sold for prizes such as silver plated and terracotta miniature models of the completed statue to raise funds. By 1878, the head and shoulder section was completed and it went on display at the Paris World’s Fair to generate even more funds for the statue construction.

Statue of Liberty - head displayed at the Paris Worlds Fair 1878

Then, in 1879, Viollet le Duc died and an innovative designer and builder named Gustave Eiffel was hired to complete the project. At this time, Eiffel decided to construct an iron truss tower instead of the previous masonry support which had been used in constructing the arm and the torch. The use of the interior iron structure would allow potential movement of the statue from the anticipated winds of the New York Harbor which could lead to possible cracking of the outer copper layer; the interior structure was attached to a center pylon for additional support with flat iron bars. To prevent later corrosion between the copper exterior layer and the interior iron support structure Eiffel solved the problem by inserting a layer of asbestos and shellac between the two layers. Within the structure, Eiffel also built two interior spiral staircases to provide access for future visitors to reach observation platforms in the crown and also the torch. This change in design would allow the entire construction of the statue to be done in France and then disassembled, transported to New York and reassembled once the pedestal was completed on Bedloe’s Island. (Sadly, Laboulaye died in 1883 and he was able to see his idea of the Statue almost fully completed in France but before it was sent to be formally presented to the United States)

Construction of the pedestal for the Statue of Liberty –

In the following years, the United States had a difficult time coming up with the funds to build the pedestal. Despite this fact, they went forward with the project and between 1807 and 1811 the foundation for the statue was built on Bedloe’s Island inside Fort Wood. The base of the foundation which would be 15 feet deep and shaped as an eleven-point star and the pedestal would be aligned to the southeast so that the front of the statue would be facing the open Atlantic Ocean to be seen as ships entered the New York harbor. Construction on the foundation began in 1883 and the pedestal cornerstone was laid in 1884. Then, the New York committee commissioned Richard Morris Hunt to design the pedestal, it was originally proposed to be 114 feet in height but because not enough money had been raised the height was reduced to 89 feet. The pedestal design was also to be made of solid granite but, once again because of lack of funds, the finished pedestal would have concrete walls which were faced with 20 feet thick blocks of granite. The pedestal is 62 feet square at the base and almost 40 feet at the top. Each of the four sides had ten circular pieces positioned near the base of the pedestal that Bartholdi had originally proposed for the seals of the States of America, there were 38 at the time of construction, but this was not done. At the top section of the pedestal on each side there is a balcony.

Final construction phase of the Statue of Liberty (joining the statue with the pedestal) –

Despite the fact that the pedestal had not been finished, the completed Statue of Liberty had been disassembled, grated and packed for transport from France aboard the French Navy ship, “Isere”, which arrived in New York on June 17, 1885. With the arrival of the statue in the United States contributions suddenly poured in to finally allow the pedestal to be complete in April 1886. Now the reconstruction of the statue could start and the iron framework designed by Eiffel was firmly anchored to the steel beams protruding from the pedestal. Then, very carefully the slow process of attaching each section of the outer copper layers began. Bartholdi had originally planned for floodlights to be attached on the torch’s balcony but this was vetoed by the Army Corps of Engineers because it was determined that the light would be too bright for approaching ships entering the harbor. Instead, Bartholdi cut sections into the torch and placed the lights inside, then the torch was covered in gold leaf and a power plant was built on the island specifically to provide electricity for lighting the torch. Once the statue was completely re-assembled on the pedestal, it was time for the official dedication.

Isere arriving in New York Harbor with the crates containing the Statue of Liberty

Isere unloading the crates containing the Statue of Liberty for transport to Bedloe's Island

Dedication of the Statue of Liberty –

The dedication ceremony for the Statue of Liberty took place on October 28, 1886 a little over ten years after the original idea was conceived by Edouard Rene de Laboulaye. The morning of the dedication started with a parade through the streets of New York City. President Grover Cleveland presided over the parade and almost a millions people lined the streets watched the festivities. When the parade reached Wall Street and passed by the New York Stock Exchange, the traders inside the building threw ticker tape from the windows, this was the very first “ticker-tape parade” and it started a New York tradition. Then, in the afternoon President Cleveland boarded a yacht and left the docks in New York accompanied by a flotilla of other ships and boats to travel the short distance across the harbor to Bedloe’s Island for the official dedication ceremony. Several speeches were given and then the French flag draped over the statue’s face was dropped prematurely and the crowds roared. One of the final speakers at the dedication was President Cleveland who said in his speech that day; “let the stream of light pierce the darkness of ignorance and man’s oppression until Liberty enlightens the world”. Bartholdi was present that day at the dedication but he choose not to speak. Unfortunately due to bad weather, the officially lighting of the torch took place a few days later on November 1.

1886 painting by Edward Moran the Unveiling of the Statue of Liberty Enlightening the World

Additional information regarding the Statue of Liberty –

Over the next decade, the copper color of the Statue of Liberty changed to verdigris; this was caused by atmospheric oxidation which changes the properties of the copper metal resulting in it turning a soft blue-green color. Initially the decision was made to paint both the interior and exterior of the statue but upon further examination it was determine that the strength and integrity of the copper was not compromised. The public protested against the exorbitant cost of repainting and also felt that the new verdigris color seemed to soften the statue’s sharp lines and made it even more beautiful. The final decision was made that only the interior of the statue would be painted and the Corps of Engineers also took this time to install an elevator which would take visitors from the base to the top of the pedestal.

During World War I, an event that has become known as the Black Tom incident happened on July 30, 1916. Several containers of dynamite and other explosives that were intended for shipment to Britain to aid in their war efforts were being stored close to Bedloe’s Island. Mysteriously the containers detonated and it was later linked to German agents who were intent on stopping the ammunition from getting to their English enemies that had ignited the supply; seven people were killed in the explosion. The Statue of Liberty had over $100,000 in damages which eventually required the torch staircase to the top platform to be permanently closed. During the renovation process Gutzon Borglum, the man responsible for the building Mount Rushmore, designed a new stained glass torch which replaced the original copper one. Also, an underwater power cable brought more power from the mainland to the island for the new floodlights placed along the walls of Fort Wood. By December 2, 1916 the project was completed and President Woodrow Wilson officially pressed the switch to turn on the lights that would now beautifully illuminate the statue.

In 1924, President Calvin Coolidge declared the Statue of Liberty a National Monument under the Antiquities Act. Then, in 1933 President Franklin Roosevelt transferred the administration of the Statue to the National Park Service (NPS). A few years later, in 1937, the NPS took control of the entire Bedloe’s Island and Fort Wood was officially closed and the remaining military buildings were demolished. The NPS closed the Statue to the public from May to December 1938 to take the opportunity for more renovations. A set of new granite steps located to the rear of the Statue were constructed to create a new public entrance. The rays from the Statue’s crown were also temporarily removed for the installation of new supports to be attached to replace the old rusted ones. (Shown below in the photos are Bedloe’s Island circa 1927 and today)

During World War II, the Statue of Liberty remained open to visitors but because of the required nighttime blackouts it was not illuminated. Then, on D-Day (June 6, 1944) the lights of the Statue sent out the Morse code signals for V (victory) and on V-E Day (May 8, 1945) the Statue was once again illuminated for a few hours every night.

In 1956, Bedloe’s Island was given the official name of Liberty Island through an Act of Congress; Bartholdi had suggested the name almost a century earlier. Then, in 1965 the nearby Ellis Island was incorporated into the Statue of Liberty National Monument through a proclamation by President Lyndon Johnson and in 1972 the Immigration Museum located in the base of the Statue was opened in a ceremony attended by President Richard Nixon. (In 1991, the museum moved from Liberty Island to Ellis Island)

For the American Bicentennial, the Statue of Liberty had a more powerful lighting system installed in preparation for the festivities. It also became one of the focal points of the National during the celebration with a parade of boats in New York Harbor on July 4, 1976 and later that night there was a spectacular display of fireworks.

Statue of Liberty - American Bicentential celebration 1

Statue of Liberty - American Bicentential celebration 2

Then, in anticipation of the Statue of Liberty Centennial celebration coming up in 1986, a group of French and American engineers carefully examined both the interior and exterior structures of the Statue. The Statue was found to have severe structural problems that need extensive repairs and a massive restoration was required. An interesting fact was discovered during the inspection when it was determined that the head of the Statue had been originally installed two feet off center. In May 1982, President Ronald Reagan announced the formation of the Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Centennial Commission Foundation which organized a variety of events and promotions to raise the $350 million dollars needed for the restoration project.

In, 1984, the Statue of Liberty was closed to the public for the duration of the restoration project and a free-standing scaffold was construction to aid in the repairs. To start the project the Statue need a thorough cleaning and liquid nitrogen was used to remove several layers of interior paint which had been done over the years to prevent corrosion. The work was difficult because of the toxic asbestos that Batholdi had originally used to provide insulation for the Statue and workers were required to wear protective gear with a breathing apparatus attached. The exterior copper layer was cleaned with baking soda solution to remove a buildup of tar that had accumulated over the years and also holes that had developed in the outer copper layers were repaired. The stained-glass torch designed by Borglum and installed in 1916 was found to be severely leaking and the decision was made to replace that torch with another one that would be an exact replica of the original Batholdi design and it would be covered with a layer 25-carat gold that today shines brightly in the daytime sun and when lighted at night. The entire iron interior support structure designed by Eiffel was replaced and reinforced with stainless steel bars. The floodlights at the base of the Statue were replaced and repositioned to highlight the various details of the Statue. The public entrance build in the 1960s was altered to have a wider opening framed by a set of massive bronze doors and a new elevator was installed to provide handicapped access to the pedestal’s observation deck.

In celebration of the Statue of Liberty’s Centennial, three days of events would take place from July 3 to 6, 1986. President Reagan presided over the rededication and the French President Francois Mitterrand was also in attendance for the festivities. In his rededication speech President Reagan said, “We are the keepers of the flame of liberty and we hold it high for the world to see”.

Then, tragically with September 11, 2001 terrorist attack on the World Trade Center, the Statue of Liberty and access to Liberty Island was immediately closed to the public. Liberty Island reopened later at the end of 2001 but the pedestal and the statue remained closed to the public. Several years later, in August 2004, the pedestal re-opened but the NPS announced that visitors access would be restricted to the Statue. Eventually, by July 4, 2009, President Barrack Obama announced that the Statue would be re-opened to the public but that there would be limited access with only a certain number of people permitted to ascend to the crown each day.

Recently, in October 2011, the Statue was once again closed for a year for the installation of new elevators and staircases. Unfortunately, just one day after the reopening on October 28, 2012, Hurricane Sandy hit the East coast and as a precaution the Statue was closed again. Although the Statue was not damaged in the hurricane, both Liberty Island and Ellis Island sustained damage to the docks used by the ferries to transport visitors to the islands. The decision was made to close both Liberty Island and Ellis Island while the repairs were being done. Finally, Liberty Island opened in time for the July 4, 2013 celebration and Ellis Island re-opened in October 2013.

The Enchanted Manor

a lifestyle blog by Barbara Jones

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