Liberty Park, Ellis Island & Statue of Liberty

This weekend My brother got married in north jersey, and my Aunt flew out for the wedding, while she is here and we are in north jersey for the wedding, we decided to visit Ellis Island & the Statue of Liberty via Liberty Park in NJ.

Liberty park was once a bustling dock and train station as hundreds of immigrant poured through the gates to enter a new life in America. Their journey would begin on a boat, passing the Statue as they arrived as Ellis Island for processing. Then after sometimes years waiting on Ellis island they would climb aboard a boat and head to Liberty Park where they would board trains from this now closed train station to destinations all over the USA.  Now it is unused, rusted, and overwhelmed with plants.

As we head for the line to board the ferry we pass by the row of old boat ramps, now crumbling from salt air and decay after decades.  They have been abandon and left to rot, but they are still an important part of our American history, so many of our families passed over these boards, imagine what they were like with hundreds of people pouring off ships looking to start their new life in America.

In the background you can see the NYC skyline from NJ.

First our boat arrived on Ellis Island, where we explored the many exhibits featuring items left behind by the many adults and children who passed though here during their years as an immigrant processing center.  This photo is of the main great hall.  the doors upstairs lead to various bunk rooms & showers.  People often spent weeks or months on the island while their information was processed and their family were located in America to come sponsor them.

After leaving Ellis Island we returned to our ferry where we first went around the statue of liberty on our way to dock.  This day was very cloudy, which gives us just a little idea what it must have been like for the hundreds of people who passed by this statue on their way to their new lives in America.  Once on the island we walked around and had a snack while we awaited our entrance time to climb the Statue.
There is a museum inside the statue with a lot  There is a museum inside the statue with a lot of information abut how she arrived and was assembled.  You can also see the copper face inside as she once stood a beautiful copper color, unlike her current tarnished blue.  I cannot image how much glare must have come off of her when she was first built!



Finally this last photo is of liberty park as we return tot he docks after a long and hot day!