Traveling to Ellis Island – the US Gateway
Posted in Family Fun, Historic, National Park, Travel | By Guest Author | Tags: Family history, Geneology, Historic, National Park, Travel
By Guess Author Peggy Bradshaw; Photography by George Bradshaw
Since my paternal grandfather immigrated through Ellis Island in 1902, I was really looking forward to going there. It seemed like something pretty magical that I could walk where he had walked more than a hundred years ago. I think I half expected to see his ghost walking through the building.
A small ferry, jam packed with people, delivered us to the dock, and as the throng of people disembarked and walked forward, I wondered if this was what it was like when he got off the ship from Germany.
Staten Island Ferry to Ellis Island
It is now a museum and is very clean and sparkling. I don’t think it was back then. There are lawns and flowers leading up to the building, and picnic tables and benches where you can relax and have lunch or a snack, watch the ferries come and go, and gaze across the water to New York City. Everything is different now, I suppose; definitely New York City.
Entrance to Ellis Island
The great hall is divided into different areas and contains exhibits and photos of immigrants and what little they brought with them as they came to the “Land of Dreams.” One exhibit is a pile of luggage, turn of the century style; no Samsonite or American Tourister, but huge trunks, square leather or cardboard suitcases and sturdy boxes tied with rope.
There are a lot of computer kiosks where you can look for information on your ancestors, and people standing in line to get to use one. Most of this information can be found on the internet from your computer at home however. There are walls and walls of photos and the chances of finding my grandfather are practically nil but they are fascinating to look at and marvel at what our ancestors went through to get here.
Money display
Off to the side of the great room are small offices where doctors once screened immigrants to either accept them or send them back. There is a money exchange room, which has different monies from different countries on display. There is even a room for mental examination with tests to find out your mental capabilities. (I passed the tests.)
We ate our lunch out on the terrace at a picnic table after ordering “Immigrant Stew” from the cafeteria. It was a beef stew with carrots and potatoes and very filling. It was very relaxing to sit and ponder who went through these doors and across the water afterwards. I know my grandfather did and for that I am grateful to Ellis Island.
Monday… Come back for a trip to New York City
Tags: Family history, Geneology, Historic, National Park, Travel