New York Day Five

Day five found us taking the subway down to the ferry landing to try and get to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island again. This time we took the right train, which took us to the right subway stop. We were also armed with reserved tickets, which meant we could skip the 2-3 hour ticket line and go right to security. We made our way through security and onto a ferry pretty quickly, which was nice because it was plenty warm out again today. This time because of the rain in the forecast it was also very humid as well.

We had decided before hand that viewing the Statue of Liberty from close up on the water was good enough, and that there was no need to get off at that stop. You are no longer able to go up into the statue unless you purchase your tickets at least a month before so that an additional security screening can be completed. As we got closer to that stop, we discovered that our plan was a valid one. One look at the thousands of people waiting in line to get on a ferry to go back to NYC and we knew we chose right. So, we enjoyed the close up view of the statue from the boat and relaxed as the boat loaded and unloaded.

We then made our way to Ellis Island. I had been here in high school, and knew that my ancestors had come through Ellis Island. However, as a 17 year old I didn't know the full story and didn't fully appreciate walking in the footsteps of my ancestors. Now I know that my Great-Great Grandmother was detained at the hospital on Ellis Island for 2 weeks because of an eye infection when she came over from Belgium with her three daughters during WWI. So although I knew the exhibits at Ellis Island leave a little something to be desired, I really wanted to be there again.

One of the first things my camera sought was the hospital, which is on the other side of the ferry landing from the processing building. The 1st and 2nd call passengers were brought right to New York to be processed rather quickly. The 3rd class and steerage passengers all went through Ellis Island. They were put through an extensive medical, physical, and mental examination. They used a button hook to lift up the eyelids of the immigrants and check for eye infections.

Button hook used to check for eye infections, and
the X that you were marked with if you were to go to the hospital.

Ellis Island Hospital

Ellis Island Hospital

Once we made our way into the main building (and found a bathroom to use), we discovered a sign for a "hard hat tour" for the yet to be restored hospital buildings. Like everything in NYC it was (all together now) MORE MONEY. However, I also knew I would really really regret not doing the tour. So, we bought 4 tickets for the hard hat tour, and were on our way over to the hospital shortly after.

You guys, I do NOT regret int he least spending the extra fortune to do this tour. Just like I totally didn't regret getting the Phantom tickets. The only restoration that had been completed was to stop any further deterioration. So, although it would have been really neat to see if restored to how it was when my Great-Great Grandmother was there, it was really neat to see in near ruins too. Some of the ruins was from Hurricane Sandy, which closed Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty for almost a year. 

A lot of areas are still blocked off from public access
due to the hurricane damage.

The white on the brick wall that goes about 1/3 of the way up
is the water line from the flooding during Hurricane Sandy.

The tour of the hospital was so so cool, even if you didn't have a family member that had been detained there. Maybe because I work in healthcare, and it was neat to see the design of the hospital based of germ theory in the early 1900s. Or maybe it was because of my family's story....whatever it was, I am so glad we didn't give up on getting here after our difficulties getting to it on our first try.

Maybe it was the opportunity to photograph some old buildings
that had yet to be restored.

Maybe it was the fact that they had an
Occupational Therapy building!!

Curved Hallway to prevent the spread of germs.

The tour also provided great views of the New York skyline and and of Ellis Island.

They told us to stay on the sidewalks
because they have issues with
sink holes.

We spent the rest of the afternoon looking at the exhibits of Ellis Island, although Nate's joints were starting to get the better of him. We did buy some time on a computer and order the passenger records from my Great Grandma and Grandpa. I could have ordered them anytime online, but there was something about ordering while I was AT Ellis Island that seemed cool. They arrived about 5 days after we got home, and there is was....a notation "passenger #26 to the hospital". 

I asked the tour guide what happened to the children of the person who was detained in the hospital. If it was a single parent, it was likely that all members of the family would be deported. Luckily the male family member was already in the US working on the railroad in Proctor. So, what likely happened is that all three girls spent two weeks in the dormitories in the main building on Ellis Island while mom was detained in the hospital. 

Crowded dormitories.

The "beds" that were used during the time that
my family would have stayed there. They were
later changed for better and less crowded beds.

The rest of day five found us back and the New York Brewing Company for more Lobster dinner. This time, I got lobster too. It was SO GOOD! We also wandered back to Times Square for another look. Because, there is always so much to look at in Times Square.