New York - Day 4

Tuesday, with drizzling rain and cold weather, we headed for Battery Park to catch the ferry to see the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island.  The water in the harbor was very rough which made for an even rougher ferry ride.  At times the ferry seemed to be rocking back and forth much more than it should have been, but we made it to Liberty Island and saw the Statue of Liberty.  We were not able to go inside the statue because tickets to go inside the statue are sold out well in advance so you have to purchase tickets well in advance of your visit.  This is something else you should keep in mind if you plan to visit New York and want to go inside the pedestal and the statue.   You may not know that "Liberty Enlightening the World" (the statue's real name) was originally meant to be a lighthouse.  After experiencing several electrical problems and the torch light being too dim the sculpture was declared a national monument and turned over to the Department of the Interior.  From the ground to tip of torch the statue measures 305 feet 1 inch.  For years she was the tallest structure in New York City. The Statue of Liberty is a must see for anyone visiting New York.

From Liberty Island we took another ferry to Ellis Island.  I can't begin to describe how it felt to be walking on the same ground that most likely some of my ancestors walked when they first came to America.  The immigration station at Ellis Island opened on January 1, 1892.  Five years later the wooden structure burned, along with many immigration records.  On December 17, 1900, a new fireproof French Renaissance-style building welcomed 2,251 new arrivals.  Ferries and barges brought steerage passengers out to Ellis from steamships.  Doctors watched as immigrants entered the building and climbed the stairs (those stairs are still there): a limp, labored breathing, or other suspected troubles warranted further medical exams.  In the Registry Room, inspectors questioned each individual.  Included among the 29 questions were name, home town, occupation, destination, and amount of money they carried.  In 1954 Ellis Island closed completely.  Today at Ellis Island you can retrace the steps of those who chose a future as Americans.  Ellis Island is a must see when visiting New York.  To see both the Statue of Liberty and visit Ellis Island in the same day you should start early and allow a minimum of two hours for each. The ferry ride to the Statue of Liberty and then to Ellis Island takes about 1 hour one way. 

After leaving Ellis Island we rode the ferry back to Battery Park and headed toward Ground Zero about 5 blocks away.  Ground Zero deserves it's own blog for Day 4 so I will write about it next so be sure to read the next blog dedicated specifically to Ground Zero.

 

Ellis Island