Statue of Liberty - 10 Amazing Facts - as part of the travel series by GeoBeats. 10 - Its initial color was reddish-brown and turned green only after oxidation. 9 - The Statue was partly designed by Gustave Eiffel, who also designed the Eiffel Tower. 8 - The ship carrying the Statue from France to America nearly sank in rough seas. 7 - The original 1886 torch was replaced with a new one in 1984. 6 - The Statue's waist is 35 feet wide. 5 - Date on the tablet is July 4th, 1776, commemorating America's Declaration of Independence. 4 - The Statue ineffectively served as a lighthouse for many years. 3 - Strong winds can make the torch sway as much as 5 inches. 2 - The Statue's seven spikes represent seven continents and seas. 1 - Weight of the Statue is 450,000 pounds.