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The flame has been changed three times. Bartholdi's original design of the flame was for it to be constructed of copper and clad in gold. Hoping to make it more of a navigational beacon, it was first changed so that portholes could be added and it could appear to be lit from within. When that idea failed, Gutzon Borglum, who later went on to design and create Mount Rushmore, made the second change by adding glass panels and copper framing. This design leaked terribly and caused further deterioration within the statue. Finally, as part of the 1986 restoration project, Bartholdi's original flame design was recreated and installed and is visible today.
