Last weekend, we went back to Albany. This weekend, we left Manhattan again, but only briefly and this time we only went as far as Liberty and Ellis Islands.
A view of the Statue of Liberty through the trees on Liberty Island as we approached the massived security line.
A closeup of Lady Liberty from Liberty Island. Some say it resembles the sculptor's mother.
Once we made it through the lengthy security lines, we were in the pedestal of the Statue of Liberty. It's been converted into a museum and the original torch (replaced in 1986) greets visitors as the enter the pedestal.
The torch of the Statue was closed in the early 20th century and the crown was closed off after September 11. However, once you make it up the 150-plus stairs you can get a small glimpse of the inside of the Statue. The above picture is looking up through the top of the pedestal at the Statues support.
The view from the obersvation deck at the top of the pedestal was amazing, but I'm not sure it was worth the security hassles. This is a view of the Manhattan skyline from the observation deck. You can see the Empire State building in the background.
Another view of the Ellis Island from the observation deck.
Our next stop was Ellis Island. After entering the massive (and recently restored) building, we saw the ground floor where emigrants were asked to leave their bags. We then walked upstairs to the registration room pictured above. The view is from the stairs leading up from the baggage room. At the far end of the registration room are the desks where names were matched to the ship's manifest. During the entire time in line, doctors on the balcony above watched for signs of lameness or illness. If you were ill, you were detained on the island until you recovered or you were sent back. Only about 2% of emigrants were actually sent back due to illness. Most made it ashore eventually, although in some cases it took months.
From the windows on one side of the registration room you could see the Statue of Liberty.
And from the other window, you could see the Manhattan skyline.
A shot of the Registration Room from above. You can almost imagine the crowd of people waiting to get to the registration tables.
This is a picture of the registration room during the early 20th century, about the time my Great Grandmother arrived at Ellis Island.
Back in Manhattan, we capped the day off with a late lunch on Stone Street. This is one of my favorite places. They drag tables out to the cobblestone streets. It's a great atmosphere and the beer and food aren't bad either.
A view of the Statue of Liberty through the trees on Liberty Island as we approached the massived security line.
A closeup of Lady Liberty from Liberty Island. Some say it resembles the sculptor's mother.
Once we made it through the lengthy security lines, we were in the pedestal of the Statue of Liberty. It's been converted into a museum and the original torch (replaced in 1986) greets visitors as the enter the pedestal.
The torch of the Statue was closed in the early 20th century and the crown was closed off after September 11. However, once you make it up the 150-plus stairs you can get a small glimpse of the inside of the Statue. The above picture is looking up through the top of the pedestal at the Statues support.
The view from the obersvation deck at the top of the pedestal was amazing, but I'm not sure it was worth the security hassles. This is a view of the Manhattan skyline from the observation deck. You can see the Empire State building in the background.
Another view of the Ellis Island from the observation deck.
Our next stop was Ellis Island. After entering the massive (and recently restored) building, we saw the ground floor where emigrants were asked to leave their bags. We then walked upstairs to the registration room pictured above. The view is from the stairs leading up from the baggage room. At the far end of the registration room are the desks where names were matched to the ship's manifest. During the entire time in line, doctors on the balcony above watched for signs of lameness or illness. If you were ill, you were detained on the island until you recovered or you were sent back. Only about 2% of emigrants were actually sent back due to illness. Most made it ashore eventually, although in some cases it took months.
From the windows on one side of the registration room you could see the Statue of Liberty.
And from the other window, you could see the Manhattan skyline.
A shot of the Registration Room from above. You can almost imagine the crowd of people waiting to get to the registration tables.
This is a picture of the registration room during the early 20th century, about the time my Great Grandmother arrived at Ellis Island.
Back in Manhattan, we capped the day off with a late lunch on Stone Street. This is one of my favorite places. They drag tables out to the cobblestone streets. It's a great atmosphere and the beer and food aren't bad either.
