History: Ellis Island

Those who came to the US as first and second class passengers didn't come to Ellis Island. But the poor, the hard cases, entered there. Uploaded by users.drew.edu.

For the twelve million immigrants who came through Ellis Island, and their now 100 million descendants, these 27.5 acres are sacred ground.

Hundreds of thousands of would-be Americans were processed at Ellis Island each year between 1892 and 1924, when immigration was strictly curtailed. Its busiest year was 1907, when just over a million people were processed. Its busiest day ever was that April 17, when 11,747 immigrants arrived. The center stayed open until 1954, serving mainly as a site for processing those to be detained or deported.

The vast majority of arrivals came aboard huge steamships. Those traveling first and second class received a brief screening aboard ship, but weren’t processed at Ellis Island. The belief was that if you could afford those tickets, you had the resources to make it without public assistance. Upon arriving in New York, they were free to go.

Those traveling third class or “steerage” had an altogether different experience. If their papers were in order and they were reasonably healthy, their processing took somewhere from three to five hours. Doctors were so used to seeing certain conditions that they were often able to pull the sick out out by a visual inspection. These became known as “six-second physicals.”

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Ellis Island became part of the National Park Service in 1966 as part of the Statue of Liberty National Monument, its neighbor a half mile to the north. There’s an amazing museum on Ellis Island today, and you can get there by ferry from Jersey City or from the lower tip of Manhattan.

Here are just some of the notable people who entered the United States as immigrants on Ellis Island: Isaac Asimov, Charles Atlas, Irving Berlin, Frank Capra, Claudette Colbert, Xavier Cugat, Max Factor, Bela Lugosi, Knute Rockne, Rudolph Valentino, and Henny Youngman.

Americana: Statue of Liberty

4th of July celebration in New York Harbor. Uploaded by firstpres-sermon1

Lady Liberty. What a grand nickname. What a great gift from the French, back in the 19th century when they still liked us.

Today, July 4, 2009, marks the first time since the 9/11 attacks that people have been allowed back into her crown. Eventually, some 200,000 people each year will get the unmatched thrill of seeing New York from one of the 25 windows. Not right away, though, as only three groups of 10 are allowed up each hour. You can reserve your “Crown ticket” up to a year in advance. There’s no elevator, so if you want to go, be ready to climb 354 steps up and back down. Oh, and it’s not air conditioned. And there are no bathrooms.

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The Statue of Liberty is the most recognizable symbol of freedom and democracy in the world. That’s reflected in its official name: “Liberty Enlightening the World,” chosen by sculptor Frederic-Auguste Bartholdi. The internal skeleton was created by Gustave Eiffel, who proceeded to create a pretty famous tower of his own.

It’s impossible to tell now, but the Statue is constructed of copper. Some 62,000 pounds of it, actually. And ours isn’t the only one in existence. Bartholdi created two smaller models as he perfected his design. The first is still in Paris, while the second sits outside the city hall in Maceio, Brazil.

But it’s our majestic Lady Liberty that thrills hundreds thousands of visitors each year. And inspires millions more. Hold that torch high, Lady. We need you now more than ever.