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Sofia Dagbaborj (right), from Mongolia, poses in front of the Statue of Liberty.
On July 4, 2013, Liberty Island opened to the public for the first time since Superstorm Sandy slammed into New York last October.
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Left: A Nov. 30, 2012 file photo of Liberty Island following Superstorm Sandy.
The statue was spared damage by the hurricane, but the storm swamped most of the 12-acre national landmark. Railings broke, docks and paving stones were torn up, and buildings were flooded. The storm also destroyed electrical systems, sewage pumps and boilers.
Hundreds of National Park Service workers from as far away as California and Alaska spent weeks cleaning away mud and debris.
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New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell, U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) and Jonathan B. Jarvis, Director of the United States National Park Service, cut the ribbon at the reopening ceremony of the Statue of Liberty, July 4, 2013.
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Members of the Old Guard attend the reopening ceremony of the Statue of Liberty, July 4, 2013.
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A man takes photos of the Statue of Liberty as Liberty Island opens to the public for the first time since Superstorm Sandy last October, July 4, 2013.
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People arrive at Liberty Island as the national landmark reopens to the public, July 4, 2013.
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A view of the the Statue of Liberty, July 4, 2013, as Liberty Island opens to the public for the first time since last October.
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The first ferry arrives at Liberty Island on July 4, 2013.
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People arrive at Liberty Island on July 4, 2013 - the first day it is open to the public since the island suffered extensive damage from Superstorm Sandy last Fall.
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A family poses for a picture in front of the Statue of Liberty upon the island's reopening following repairs from Superstorm Sandy, July 4, 2013.
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A view of lower Manhattan and One World Trade Center from the ferry to Liberty Island, July 4, 2013.
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Visitors arrive at Liberty Island on Independence Day - July 4, 2013.
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People arrive at Liberty Island upon its reopening following repairs for damage caused by Superstorm Sandy, July 4, 2013.
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A view of the Statue of Liberty as Liberty Island opens to the public again on Independence Day - July 4, 2013.
