The Statue of Liberty marked its 125^th anniversary on Oct. 28.  The 305-foot-tall monument was a gift of friendship from France to the U.S. in 1886. It is now closed for a year for a $27 million upgrade.

French Sculptor Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi and his assistants took nine years to build the Statue of Liberty. Pieces of the statue were shown at different places and times to raise money for its completion. The statue’s completed head was shown at the Paris World’s Fair in 1878.

The Statue of Liberty is located on Liberty Island near the immigration port of Ellis Island. From 1892 to 1954, more than 12 million immigrants entered America through Ellis Island. Lady Liberty was there to greet them as a symbol of freedom and democracy.

In 1938, the statue was closed for eight months for improvements. Workers added a copper layer to the statue to protect it from rainwater, which was causing rust. The copper layer is 3/32 inches thick, the same as two pennies put together.

Zuyu Wu was one of the 125 people naturalized on the 125th anniversary of the Statue of Liberty on Oct. 28. The 125 candidates came from 46 countries. Thirteen of them were serving in the U.S. armed forces.

Guests of the immigration ceremony cheered for those who became U.S. citizens at Lady Liberty’s 125^th anniversary. In honor of the day, a company called EarthCam donated five new webcams to the monument. The webcams will give online visitors views of the statue and the New York Harbor.