Original “Miss Liberty” (1884–1942)
Miss Liberty was the original figure crowning the Yorktown Victory Monument, sculpted by John Quincy Adams Ward, one of the most respected American sculptors of the 19th century.
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Installed when the monument was completed in 1884
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Represented Liberty in classical form
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Part of architect Richard Morris Hunt’s overall monument design
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Stood atop the 84‑foot granite column for nearly 60 years
This was the statue people saw during the 1881–1884 Centennial era celebrations and the early decades of the Colonial National Historical Park.
1942: Lightning Destroys Miss Liberty
In 1942, a lightning strike decapitated and destroyed Ward’s Liberty figure.
The damage was so severe that the statue could not be repaired. For more than a decade, the monument stood headless, a striking image during wartime and the years that followed.
Replacement: “Victory”
In the 1950s, the National Park Service commissioned a new sculpture. The replacement was created by Oskar J. W. Hansen, best known for the monumental “Winged Figures of the Republic” at Hoover Dam.
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Installed in 1957
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Represents Victory, not Liberty
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Designed with a lightning rod to prevent a repeat of 1942
This is the figure that stands atop the monument today.
1990: Lightning Strikes Again
Despite the lightning rod, another strike in 1990 damaged the statue’s hands and torso. Repairs were completed, and the figure continues to stand as the monument’s crowning symbol.
Why the Change Matters
For your charter guests, this is a great storytelling moment:
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The original statue was Liberty, symbolizing the ideals of the Revolution.
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The current statue is Victory, symbolizing the triumph at Yorktown.
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The monument itself took 100 years from Congressional authorization (1781) to construction (1881–1884).
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Lightning has shaped the monument’s appearance twice — a dramatic detail that people love. –ChatGPT
Chilly Sail
Laura and Boyd King of Ohio joined another couple for a chilly sail in early April. Despite getting bundled up with coats and a blanket, Boyd was still cold. He muffled, “Did you hear about the fellow who invented the windchill scale? He died at 95 and said he felt like 85.” Ours was about 35.
Earlier, Josh and Jill Crimmins of Virginia Beach took their two children sailing on a day that was much warmer. They chatted about enjoying a trip to Hawaii, except for one thing.
Jill said, “If you ever want to get rich, become a babysitter in Hawaii. When these two were infants, we had to pay $450 a night for a sitter. And they were asleep the entire evening. The next time we went, we took a 16-year-old from home with us and paid for her entire trip and room. It was still less than $450 a night.”
At home, my wife Bonnie spotted a red fox in the backyard, and I managed to take a picture. She saw him reach back and snatch a squirrel, to which I said, “Go get ’em, Red!” He came back a week later and turned out to be a much bigger coyote, which is strange for our neighborhood in Williamsburg.
Boys Sail
Two sisters-in-law took their four boys aged 8, 8, 9 and 12 sailing on the York while their husbands attended a conference at nearby VIMS.
Mini Prasmanth is a research scientist at the San Diego Zoo, where she works in the background on the animals. “It’s America’s premier zoo,” she said. “It’s nonprofit and makes $400 million a year because the admission is $80.” She and the other mom, Samantha Keithler, have gone on exotic safaris and explorations overseas.
“We spent months in Africa finding the animals to test their blood and get their DNA. Some of these trips cost $1,500 a night, but we’re on government research. The safaris in Africa break into two general areas. One is safe and the other is not. Guards carry AK 47s to protect us.” Sam added while pointing to the boys, “These boys grew up in the Amazon.”
The boys wanted to go under the Coleman Bridge, and when we did we discovered a US Navy sub quietly docked at the Naval Weapons Station. That was amazing.
Earlier, we saw an unusual sight of the schooner Alliance II towing a motorboat. Usually, it’s the other way around. I inquired by marine radio if they needed help, and they said no. They were taking it out the York river and up to Mobjack Bay. Strange.
Veterans Sail
Higher Ground USA is a nonprofit that serves US military veterans suffering various difficulties. A group of five joined Let’s Go Sail for the fifth outing by the organization.
Roger Sealey (far left) was trained in the US Army to make prosthetics. “I went to Texas where they train doctors and other medical specialists,” he said. “If a limb is available, you make a mold of it and then cast it in plastic. I specialized in making steel braces for existing legs, including children with cerebral palsy.” What about legs that are amputated above the knee? “We make a knee with a special spring inside that helps you walk and climb stairs.” He said a typical prosthetic would cost $40,000 on the open market. “But the veterans get it for free.”
