The third in a series of photographs taken during a visit to the North East of the USA and the South East of Canada. These pictures are of Liberty Island, the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, which was once the arrival point for immigrants into America.
Leaving Battery Park Pier for Liberty and Ellis Island. The security to visit is just as severe as at the airports or the Empire State Building.We saw a baby stripped down to it's nappy before he and his parents were allowed onto the ferry. The Statue of Liberty was closed to visitors following September 11, 2001 but Liberty Island was reopened in December that year. The Promenade and Observatory were reopened to visitors from August 2004 by reserved ticket only.
The Staten Island Ferry is a free ferry from Lower Manhattan to Staten Island and is used by commuters and tourists wanting a view of the harbour and the Statue of Liberty. You get a close up view on the trip of the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island but they do not dock there.
Leaving Manhattan behind across Upper Bay........
Liberty Island......
....and the Statue of Liberty. It was a gift to the United States in honour of the friendship established during the French Revolution. The Statue of Liberty has become an American symbol of freedom and welcome to the immigrants who come to the USA looking for a better life. When shipped from France to New York, she came in 350 pieces. Once delivered, it took four months to put her together and was completed on October 28, 1886.
First stop Liberty Island. The ferries are very busy......
........it's one of the top visitor attractions in the USA.
The viewing deck inside the crown has been closed to visitors since 9/11. It re-opens to visitors on Independence day The 4th July.
Formerly called Bedloe's Island, the name Liberty Island has been in use since the early 20th century although the name was not officially changed until 1956. Before the Statue of Liberty, Bedloe's Island was the home to Fort Wood, an eleven pointed star-shaped fortification made of granite. Because of this, its nickname was "Star Fort". This 11-pointed star became the outline of the pedestal for the Statue of Liberty when it was erected.
Next stop Ellis Island......
Ellis Island and the Immigration Museum Building.
The Museum offers visitors a fascinating look into the immigrant experience. Interactive exhibits, walking tours and movies reveal the hardships and challenges faced by immigrants passing through Ellis Island. Located in the New York Harbour, approximately 12 million steerage and third class steamship passengers were processed on Ellis Island between 1892 and 1954. Immigrants who entered the United States through the port of New York were legally and medically inspected at Ellis Island. In 1990 Ellis Island was renovated and transformed into a museum dedicated to educating visitors about the immigrant experience.
The Titanic was destined for New York and it's passengers would have passed through Ellis Island. Immigrants through here attaining success in America include: Novelist Isaac Asimov from Russia, a master of the science-fiction genre. His most famous works include Nightfall, the Foundation Series, and the Robot Series from which the film staring Will Smith was made. Bodybuilder Charles Atlas from Italy....the famous phrase about the weakling getting sand kicked in his face was his advertising slogan. Composer Irving Berlin from Belarus. Cosmetologist Max Factor from Poland. Comedian Bob Hope from England. Actor Cary Grant also England. Actor Béla Lugosi from Hungary, well known for playing Count Dracula. Tenor and opera singer John McCormack from Ireland. The Trapp Family Singers, Austria.....The Sound of Music. Actor Rudolph Valentino, Italy. Olympic swimming medalist and actor Johnny Weissmuller, Austria-Hungary....the best known Tarzan of the Apes. Due to harsher and harsher legislation, immigration through Ellis Island began to decrease. Finally, in 1954, Ellis Island was shut down by the Immigration Services and transferred its activities back to Manhattan.