Sure, just about any object can be dropped into a body of water. But if you mean, “Would the Statue of Liberty sink up to its eyes, like the classic Pail and Shovel Party prank?” the answer is no, or at least not unless you cut it into pieces. At its deepest point, Lake Mendota is 82 feet deep, whereas the Statue of Liberty is 151 feet, one inch tall, from heels to top of torch. If the statue were intact, the water would only rise to about her armpit. Further, the statue’s pedestal adds another 154 feet. If you include that, then the entire statue would be elevated 72 feet above the water. If you want to make that prank come alive, you’d have to cut the statue at just above the knees. Of course, first you’d have to transport the statue from New York to Madison, a road distance of 935 miles. The statue weighs about 450,000 pounds, and it’s about 53 feet wide — anything more than eight feet, six inches wide; 53 feet long; or 80,000 pounds qualifies as an oversize load. The Statue of Liberty violates all three characteristics, so be prepared to stop at weigh stations and to pay some fees. Further, you’ll have to drive it down the Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois Turnpikes, so either get an iPass or save up a bunch of quarters.

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