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Ellis Island the gateway to America, what does it mean to you? I don't expect much!

fantastic history there Paula! all the immigrants who came through, from every country...there is no place to begin! my antecedents were Italian, when they came through the lines the designation "WOP" was given...'without papers'. that could have applied to many nationalities. but it stuck to Italians. Lady Liberty welcomed the tired and the poor back then. the streets were paved with gold and new york was the melting pot. irish need not apply, chinese worked on the railroads, and America was born.

well you are wrong there Paula... My grandparents came thru Ellis Island. When I visited there I had a strong feeling of connection with them as I walked thru some of the same hallways and thru the entrance hall that they walked thru nearly 100 years ago. There is some of the most amazing pictures along the walls. The ship manifests are incredible.. and it is very easy to imagine the immigrants gazing across the water at NYC.. dreaming of actually becoming part of this country..

So no.. Ellis Island means alot to me.. and my family..

I have records of my family coming thru Ellis Island thats why i mentioned it. I was taken when i viewed the records the ship and who they went to upon arrival? My fathers parents came thru Ellis and my father was born in New York City...

Paula wrote: Ellis Island the gateway to America, what does it mean to you? I don't expect much!


Ellis Island? I thought that was a high-security prison?

not quite.. you might be thinking of Alcatraz in California

Bill Sikes wrote: Ellis Island? I thought that was a high-security prison?


hahahahahaha, that is friggin hilarious.

Bill Sikes wrote: Ellis Island? I thought that was a high-security prison?


Isn't it Riker's Island that's the prison?

:-3

valerie wrote: Isn't it Riker's Island that's the prison?



:-3




Yep!!