Letter from Frédéric-Auguste Bartholdi (1834–1904) to his mother

In the summer of 1871, Frédéric-Auguste Bartholdi arrived in New York for the first time. In this eloquent letter to his mother, Bartholdi describes sailing into New York’s harbor, the “strange appearance” of the streets, and what he fears may be the close-mindedness of the American character. Bartholdi sought a suitable location for his immense statue, though at this stage he was still unsure whether the project would come to fruition. In his letter, Bartholdi identifies “the site that I dream of… a little island… occupied by a fort,” though he concedes there are other locations “that would present fewer difficulties.” He marked the spot, Bedloe’s Island, on an accompanying map, since lost. Now known as Liberty Island, this is in fact where Liberty Enlightening the World stands.