Lady Liberty
Replica
A massive 50-foot tribute to freedom tucked unexpectedly behind a strip mall in Milwaukie, Oregon. A symbol of gratitude and solidarity.
Origin & Design
A Gesture of Solidarity
Commissioned in 2003 by Chris Sanaee, an Iranian immigrant and local property owner, this landmark stands as a permanent gesture of solidarity with the United States following the 9/11 attacks.
The Structure
Standing on a 10-foot round pedestal, the statue itself reaches approximately 40–50 feet. It features a classic eagle emblem on the base and a plaque sharing a message of freedom.
Quirky History
During original assembly, a welding error famously caused the statue's head to catch fire. The damage was significant enough that a completely new head had to be ordered.
Visitor Experience
Hidden Location
Tucked behind a strip mall at 4287 SE Roethe Rd. It's an unexpected find near businesses like Arrivederci Wine & Jazz.
Accessibility
The site is a free roadside attraction, fully accessible from the parking lot, and remains a permanent fixture of the Milwaukie landscape.
Find the Liberty
Visit this quirky, heartfelt landmark near McLoughlin Blvd in Milwaukie, OR.
Get DirectionsHistory & Background
The original Statue of Liberty in New York Harbor was a gift from France to the United States, dedicated in 1886. Designed by sculptor Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi with an iron framework engineered by Alexandre Gustave Eiffel (of Eiffel Tower fame), Lady Liberty stands 305 feet from ground to torch tip and has welcomed millions of immigrants arriving by sea. She is officially named Liberty Enlightening the World and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Her torch represents enlightenment, her broken chains at her feet represent the end of tyranny, and her seven-pointed crown represents the seven seas and seven continents.
Replicas of the Statue of Liberty have been installed across the United States and internationally, often donated by civic organizations or created as local patriotic gestures. The Boy Scouts of America donated 200 replicas to communities across the country in 1951 as part of a citizenship campaign. Oregon's replica or locally commissioned Statue of Liberty participates in this tradition of celebrating the ideals the original represents: freedom, democracy, and the welcoming of immigrants who built the American nation.
For Oregon specifically, immigration history runs from the great wave of Oregon Trail settlers in the 1840s through Chinese workers who built the railroads and worked in the salmon canneries, through waves of Scandinavian, German, and Japanese immigrants who settled the Willamette Valley, and through contemporary arrivals from Latin America and Asia. A Statue of Liberty in an Oregon community invites reflection on this layered immigrant history — both those who were welcomed and those who faced discrimination despite their contributions.
Nearby Attractions
Oregon Jewish Museum and Center for Holocaust Education
Located in Portland, this museum documents the history of the Jewish community in Oregon from the 1840s to the present, with a powerful Holocaust education center that connects Oregon's immigrant history to the global refugee experience. The museum connects themes of liberty, persecution, and belonging that echo the ideals the Statue of Liberty represents.
Oregon Nikkei Legacy Center
Documents the history of Japanese Americans in Oregon, including the devastating impact of Executive Order 9066, which forced Japanese Americans into internment camps during World War II. Located in Portland's historic Japantown, the center connects to the Statue of Liberty's ideals through the painful history of how those ideals failed a specific community during a period of national fear.
Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization (IRCO)
While not a tourist attraction per se, IRCO in Portland serves as a hub for Oregon's diverse contemporary immigrant and refugee communities from more than 100 countries. The organization's presence is a reminder that the ideals of the Statue of Liberty remain living and contested in Oregon today, as the state continues to be a destination for people seeking safety, opportunity, and freedom.