“Why does the Statue of Liberty stand in the harbor?”/“Because it can’t sit down.”

“Why does the Statue of Liberty stand in the harbor? is one of New York’s oldest and most popular riddles. This was printed in 1926:
   
“Why does the Statue of Liberty stand in the water? Give up? Because there is no room for Liberty on dry soil.”
   
The San Francisco (CA) Chronicle published in 1927 the more usual answer:
 
“Maria Urrea asks: Why does the statue of liberty stand? Because it can’t sit down. Oh, easy, Maria!”
 
 
Wikipedia: Statue of Liberty
The Statue of Liberty (Liberty Enlightening the World; French: La Liberté éclairant le monde) is a colossal neoclassical sculpture on Liberty Island in New York Harbor in New York City, in the United States. The copper statue, designed by Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi, a French sculptor, was built by Gustave Eiffel and dedicated on October 28, 1886. It was a gift to the United States from the people of France. The statue is of a robed female figure representing Libertas, the Roman goddess, who bears a torch and a tabula ansata (a tablet evoking the law) upon which is inscribed the date of the American Declaration of Independence, July 4, 1776. A broken chain lies at her feet. The statue is an icon of freedom and of the United States, and was a welcoming sight to immigrants arriving from abroad.
 
18 July 1926, The Sunday Sun (Baltimore, MD), “Letters to the Editor,” pg. 10, col. 4:
To the Lutheran Waither League:
Why does the Statue of Liberty stand in the water? Give up? Because there is no room for Liberty on dry soil.
WILLIAM TOBER,
Minister Verl Dei.
Rockdale, Md., July 18.
 
13 March 1927, San Francisco (CA) Chronicle, pg. 8C, col. 6:
Maria Urrea asks: Why does the statue of liberty stand? Because it can’t sit down. Oh, easy, Maria!
 
2 September 1928, Los Angeles (CA) Times, “Can You Solve These Riddles?,” The Junior Times, pg. 3, col. 3:
Why does the Statue of Liberty stand?
 
12 July 1952, Journal and Guide (Norfolk, VA), “Riddles,” pg. 16, col. 4:
Why does the Statue of Liberty stand in the New York Harbor?
Because it can’t sit.
 
26 April 1954, The Gazette and Daily (York, PA), “Daffy Quiz” by Marion Ullmark, pg. 25, col. 2:
Why does the Statue of Liberty stand in New York Harbor?
Because she cannot sit down.
       
Google News Archive
26 May 1958, The Free Lance-Star (Fredericksburg, VA), “The Riddle Box,” pg. 2, col. 4:
Why does the statue of liberty stand in New York harbor?
Because it can’t sit down.
 
GOogle News Archive
19 APril 1963, The Times-News (Hendersonville, NC), “April Fool Brain Teaser,” pg. 7, col. 1:
Why does the statue of liberty stand in New York harbor?
Because it can not sit down.
 
Google Books
Jokes, Puns, and Riddles
By David Allen Clark
Illustrated by Lionel Kalish
Garden City, NY: Doubleday
1968
Pg. 128:
Harry: Why does the Statue of Liberty stand in New York Harbor?
Larry: Because she can’t sit down.
 
Google Books
Biggest Riddle Book in the World
By Joseph Rosenbloom
New York, NY: Sterling Publishing Company, Inc.
1976
Pg. 217:
Why does the Statue of Liberty stand?
Because she can’t sit down.
 
Google News Archive
9 March 1977, The Free Lance-Star (Fredericksburg, VA), “Fun Time—The Riddle Box,” pg. 11, cols. 4-5::
Why does the statue of liberty stand in New York harbor?
Because it can’t sit down.
 
Google News Archive
9 March 1994, The Free Lance-Star (Fredericksburg, VA), “Fun Time—The Riddle Box,” pg. C5, col. 2:
Why does the statue of liberty stand in New York Harbor?
Because it can’t sit down.
   
Google Books
The Mammoth Book of Really Silly Jokes
By Geoff Tibballs
London: Constable & Robinson Ltd
2011
Pg. 380:
Teacher: Why does the Statue of Liberty stand in New York harbour?
Pupil: Because it can’t sit down.
 
Google Books
Riddles, Riddles, Riddles:
Enigmas and Anagrams, Puns and Puzzles, Quizzes and Conundrums!
By Joseph Leeming
Illustrated by Shane Miller
Courier Corporation
2014
Pg. 24:
Why does the Statue of Liberty stand in New York Harbor?
Because it can’t sit down.
 
YouTube
Ok, here is the joke. Teacher: Why does the statue of liberty ...
botcaster inc. bot
Published on Jan 22, 2016
Teacher: Why does the statue of liberty stand in New York harbour ?
Pupil: Because it can’t sit down !
 
Twitter
Hair Forte Salon
‏@forte_hair
Why does the Statue of Liberty stand in New York Harbor?
Because she can’t sit down.
4:35 PM - 29 Jun 2016