Why Buffalo’s Liberty Building Has Two 36-Foot Statues of Liberty on Its Roof
Ryan Socash of It’s History explained why the Liberty Building in Buffalo, New York, has two 36-foot replicas of the Statue of Liberty perched on opposite ends of its roof.
High above downtown Buffalo, two 36-foot replicas of the Statue of Liberty have watched over the city since 1925.
The neoclassical building was constructed in 1925 as the headquarters of Liberty Bank, which had changed its name from German-American Bank in 1918 amid rising anti-German sentiment during World War I. To reflect the bank’s new image, sculptor Leo Lentelli created three Statue of Liberty replicas: two for the rooftop and one for the Main Street entrance.
During World War I, rising anti-German sentiment led the bank to change its name to Liberty Bank, transforming its public image as it entered a new era of American patriotism.
The building was also the site of a daring high-wire performance.
Inside the building was a heavily secured bank vault, while the tower later became the setting for a remarkable high-wire performance between its two rooftop statues.
