The "Susquehanna Comes Alive With The Statue of Liberty - Part I" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Driving past the Statue of Liberty.  Not the one you may be thinking of, but the one that is in the middle of the Susquehanna River in Daupin County, Pennsylvania.  The maiden stands watch over the Susquehanna Valley and is a unique replica of the Statue of Liberty that stands in New York.  No special equipment is needed to see this apparition; one only needs to drive along Route 322 from Lancaster to State College.  Look toward the river when you reach the Susquehanna River and along an abandoned railroad piling she appears; a stark, poised Lady Liberty all in white greeting those who drive past.  This scaled-down replica of the original Statue of Liberty was constructed and erected in 1986 to commemorate the original statue's centennial.  It has since gone from legend to a tourist staple for motorists traveling to and from Harrisburg on Route 322.  Lady Liberty stands in the Susquehanna river in Dauphin County.  She currently rises 25 feet from and old bridge piling in a section of the Susquehanna River known a the Dauphin Narrows.  The inception of the statue was veiled in secrecy, only known by a few local men in Dauphin.  The idea was the brainchild of Gene Stilp, a non-practicing lawyer and engineering hobbyist.  He drafted plans and began construction of the statue using plywood and Venetian blinds in a friend's garage.  Upon completion, Gene gathered a few of his friends whom he could trust with his secret, and on the night of July 1, 1986, 12 men set out to put their Lady Liberty in her place.  One of the men, safety coordinator Steve Oliphant recalls, "I was concerned about taking a bunch of knuckleheads with a 450-pound statue out into the Dauphin Narrows.  It can get dangerous out there."  With only a few small boats, Stilp and his men paddled out onto the Susquehanna to the old Marysville Bridge piling.  

"We were 32 feet in the air, and it was pitch black, and we had to be very careful," said Stilp.  Using only ropes and their combined manpower, the men hoisted the 450 pound construction up on the 30 feet to her perch.  The men then convened over pizza and beer, not knowing they had sown the seeds of a local legend.  By the next morning, numerous cars were pulled over on the side of Route 322 taking pictures and calling into local radio stations about a white apparition that appeared on the river.  Stilp and his cohorts didn't know how the public would react, fearing it could be labeled as a hoax.  To their surprise, the people of Dauphin County embraced the statue as an enduring symbol of patriotism and hope for their country.  Stilp was identified as the creator within a few weeks. 

 Stilp is no stranger to unusual works.  In 2012 he constructed a 25-foot long inflatable pig that drew attention to government corruption.  In his race for the 11th District Congressional seat that year, he was asked about his involvement with the Statue on the Susquehanna River.  He replied, "How do you build community?  It's about caring about where you live."  He also spoke on its legacy:  "It's become a landmark, and I think it's become an inspiration for people.  It makes you think about a set of values we like in this country.  I for one love the statue.  Every time my wife and I travel to State College to visit with our friends Jere and Sue, we have to pass past the sculpture.  It is amazing.  Reminds us of a miniature Statue of Liberty.  What a sight along the Susquehanna!  So...what's next Gene?  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.