Strengthen the Arm of Liberty

BSA Statue of Liberty replicas

Hundreds of smaller replicas of the Statue of Liberty have been created worldwide. The classical appearance (Roman stola, sandals, facial expression) derives from Libertas, ancient Rome's goddess of freedom from slavery, oppression, and tyranny. Her raised right foot is on the move. This symbol of Liberty and Freedom is not standing still or at attention in the harbor, it is moving forward, as her left foot tramples broken shackles at her feet, in symbolism of the United States' wish to be free from oppression and tyranny.

Manufacture

Between 1949 and 1952, approximately two hundred 100-inch (2.5 m) replicas of the statue, made of stamped copper, were purchased by Boy Scout troops and donated in 39 states in the U.S. and several of its possessions and territories. The project was the brainchild of Kansas City businessman, J.P. Whitaker, who was then Scout Commissioner of the Kansas City Area Council.

The copper statues were manufactured by Friedley-Voshardt Co. (Chicago, Illinois) and purchased through the Kansas City Boy Scout office by those wanting one. The statues are approximately 8 ¹⁄₂ feet tall without the base, constructed of sheet copper, weigh 290 pounds, and originally cost $350 plus freight. The mass-produced statues are not meticulously accurate: a conservator notes that "her face isn't as mature as the real Liberty. It's rounder and more like a little girl's."

Today

Many of these statues have been lost or destroyed, but preservationists have been able to account for about a hundred of them, and BSA Troop 101 of Cheyenne, Wyoming has collected photographs of over 100 of them. The Wikipedia list is approaching 150 examples.

Examples of the statues can be found at Birmingham, Alabama, Fayetteville, Arkansas, Pine Bluff, Arkansas, Greeley, Colorado, at the Mississippi riverfront in Burlington, Iowa, at Overland Park, Kansas and at Chimborazo Park in Richmond, Virginia.

Over the years, the copper skins on several of the miniature statues began to take on oxidation, perfectly resembling the statue from which they are modeled, and several more had been renovated, and repaired, the statue in Burlington had been taken from its original position in Dankwardt Park, completely renovated, repaired, and polished, and then placed on a pedestal at the riverfront, where it sits today.

List of BSA Statue of Liberty replicas

The following is an incomplete list of where the statues were placed or are located in 2016.

Alabama

Birmingham, Liberty Park just off I-459, next to Birmingham Area BSA Council Office

This one was NOT created for the BSA Strengthen the Arm of Liberty campaign. It is a 1/5 model originally sanctioned by Liberty Mutual Insurance Company to sit atop their building

Arkansas

Fayetteville, Washington Regional Medical Center, North Street

Pine Bluff, 10th Avenue between Georgia & State Streets on Esplanade opposite South Side Civic Center

Sherwood, Amy Sanders Brach Library, 31 Shelby Road

California

Bellflower, John Simms Park, 16601 South Clark Avenue

Florida

Orlando, Magnolia & Orange Avenue

Georgia

Atlanta, Georgia State Capitol, Northwest corner of Capitol grounds. Corner of Washington Street & Martin Luther King Drive

Rome, at Camp Sidney Dew

Idaho

Caldwell, Caldwell Memorial Park, Near Grant Street

Illinois

London Mills, Village Veteran Park,

Warsaw, Rolston Park,

Indiana

Dupont, Camp Louis Ernst, BSA, 75 feet west of Indiana SR 7

Gary, 401 Broadway, City Hall

Madison, Jefferson County Courthouse, Northwest corner

Peru, Miami County Courthouse, Courthouse square, south side

Plymouth, Marshall County Commissioners, Marshall County Courthouse

South Bend, Old Courthouse, 101 South Main Street

Kentucky

Leitchfield, Grayson County Courthouse

Massachusetts

Fall River, John F. Kennedy Park, Corner of Bradford & Broadway Avenue

Lawrence, Lawrence Public Library

Michigan

Mackinac Island, Mackinac Island Marina

Minnesota

Hibbing, City Hall, 401 East 21st Street

Mississippi

Columbus, located on Main Street

Montana

Great Falls, Gibson Park, Park Drive & 2nd Avenue North

Lewistown, Prospect & Main Streets

Nebraska

Columbus, Pawnee Park, 33rd Avenue

Fremont, Masonic Park, 77 & Highway 30

Gering, U & 10th

Grand Island, Pier Park

Hastings, 12th Street

Lincoln, Antelope Park

Norfolk, Central Park, 510 Pasewalk Avenue

Scottsbluff, 10th & North 27th Street

New York

Le Roy, Wolcott Street, Opposite Woodward Memorial Library

Niagara Falls, Rainbow Bridge Plaza

Oneonta, Neawha Park

Schenectady, Van Curler Park

Utica, Median between Elm Street & Pleasant Street

North Carolina

Wilmington, City Hall, Front lawn, northeast corner of Third & Princess Streets

North Dakota

Fargo, Main & 2nd Streets

Oregon

Medford, Hawthorne Park, Near Almond & Main

Pennsylvania

Berwick, Borough Hall, Market Street

Bloomsburg, Bloomsburg Memorial Elementary School, West 5th & South Market Streets

Ellwood City, Lincoln High School, 5th & Crescent Avenue

New Castle, Owen Penfield Fox Park, Mill & Grove Streets

York, Kiwanis Park, North Newberry Street & Parkway Boulevard, On island in lake

South Carolina

Columbia, Realtors Park, Intersection of Barnwell, Blossom & Devine Streets

Texas

Dallas, Fair Park, North side of Hall of State

Midland, Midland County Courthouse, 200 West Wall Street

Port Arthur, Lions Park

Virginia

Richmond, Chimborazo Park

West Virginia

Fairmont, American Legion Post #17, 207 Jefferson Street

Wisconsin

Kenosha, Civic Center Park, Kenosha

Madison, Warner Park, Corner of Northport & Sherman Avenue

Wyoming

Torrington, Goshen County Courthouse, N.E. corner of 21st Avenue & East A Street

Wheatland, Platte County Courthouse, 800 9th Street

Other artifacts of the project

A Strengthen the Arm of Liberty brass pin was also available for uniform and civilian wear. The pin is in the shape of the Statue of Liberty superimposed on a fleur de lis. The Robbins Company, which made BSA's Eagle medals for many years, made these pins and the winged "R" hallmark is prominently displayed on the reverse. In addition, a commemorative neckerchief slide was made for Boy Scouts and for the Cub Scouts.