While the Statue of Liberty herself did not suffer any damage during Hurricane Sandy, the storm completely knocked out the infrastructure of the monument and Ellis Island, causing the attractions to close indefinitely. According to the Times, the ferry dock on Liberty Island may need to be completely rebuilt, and none of the mechanical systems are functioning because of flooding in the building that houses the cafe and gift shop. The basement of the Ellis Island Museum also flooded, but thankfully no archives or artifacts were harmed.
In Battery Park, the security equipment to screen visitors was damaged, with the floodwater line rising to the level of the conveyor belts on the baggage scanners. Statue Cruises has stopped selling tickets to the islands, and the company is unsure when they'll be able to resume. A team of 238 national parks employees, with workers coming from across the nation, is working on the park clean up, which has been difficult because of a lack of power.
· Storm Leaves Lady Liberty and Ellis Island Cut Off From Visitors [NYT]
· Colossus Closed [Curbed]
Photo by Jeremy Gordon/Curbed Flickr pool
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