Written By: Ben Cosgrove

LIFE magazine once offered some thoughts on the nature of Independence Day that might sound, to our modern ears, both quaint and somehow still quite genuine:

The Fourth of July, although it originated in the hot spirit of defiance and the powder smell of revolution, is a quiet holiday. In the small cities the crowds gather beneath bunting and flags to watch their parades. In the picnic grounds the orators sweat and strain to produce three cheers for liberty. Yet everywhere . . . the crowds are in shirtsleeves and cotton dresses, relaxed, having a good, long, easy day, taking their liberty for granted, a little embarrassed by all the fancy talk. In the cool of the evening many Americans will express their unselfconscious patriotism in the thought, “This has been a pleasant day and this is a pleasant land.” For in early July, on the nation’s birthday, the land is at its best.

Here, long after those words were written, and on the anniversary of the day the Statue of Liberty was dedicated (Oct. 28, 1886), are photos of Lady Liberty as captured by LIFE photographers through the years.

Liz Ronk, who edited this gallery, is a Photo Editor for LIFE.com. Follow her on Twitter @lizabethronk.

 

Statue of Liberty, 1944
Dmitri Kessel Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images

Statue of Liberty, 1951.

Statue of Liberty, 1951

Margaret Bourke-White Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images

Statue of Liberty, 1946.

Statue of Liberty, 1946

Andreas Feininger Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images

Statue of Liberty, 1950.

Statue of Liberty, 1950

Margaret Bourke-White Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images

Statue of Liberty, 1956.

Statue of Liberty, 1956

Dmitri Kessel Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images

Statue of Liberty, 1951.

Statue of Liberty, 1951

Margaret Bourke-White Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images

Statue of Liberty, 1959.

Statue of Liberty, 1959

Stan Wayman Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images

Harry Belafonte speaks at a civil rights rally at the Statue of Liberty, 1960.

Statue of Liberty, 1960

Al Fenn Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images

Korea's Children's Choir visits the Statue of Liberty, 1954.

Statue of Liberty, 1954

Peter Stackpole Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images

Statue of Liberty, 1931.

Statue of Liberty, 1931

Pictures Inc. Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images

Statue of Liberty, 1961.

Statue of Liberty, 1961

Howard Sochurek Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images

Statue of Liberty, 1939.

Statue of Liberty, 1939

Margaret Bourke-White Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images

Statue of Liberty, unknown date.

Statue of Liberty, no date

Al Fenn Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images

Statue of Liberty and New York Harbor, 1939.

Statue of Liberty, 1939

Margaret Bourke-White Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images

Statue of Liberty, 1942.

Statue of Liberty, 1942

Andreas Feininger Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images

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