Visiting the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island

​We arrived early at Battery Park to get our tickets for the ferry.  Shawna and I had tickets to walk up to the crown but her injury prevented her from going up. 

The park has a community garden and some pretty flowers.

Phyllis and I went up to the top deck to get a few pictures.

It must have been a overwhelming sight when she was first seen by those hoping to make this their new home.

​I split with the group to start the climb up before the crowds got there.  ​

It was incredible knowing that the statue was built so long ago and the walk up was narrow and steep.  The stairs are a double helix.  The down stair wrapped around the up stair. Brilliant, it means there are no delays or passing on the stairs.  The interior of the statue is supported by beams and straps.

​At the top is a small platform that allows for looking out the windows.  They are so small the largest are about a foot wide and two foot tall.  The top of the room is the statue's head and I was able to reach up and touch the interior shaped of her hair. The platform is just behind her forehead.  The rangers were very informative.  The statue is a really strong lighting attractor. He said that when she is struck, it is extremely loud inside.  I bet!

​The eye and nose as seen from the inside of the statue.

​This is the ladder in the arm to the torch.  No one goes up the torch except for maintenance.

The fire boats were out as part of the 9/11 marathon to honor Firefighters.

​When we got back together at the museum, we were able to walk around the original torch. It had been replaced because previous attempts to light the torch had damaged it.  A decision was made to make a duplicate and cover the flame with gold and illuminate from the exterior.  The door to get on the one foot wide walkway around the torch was about 4 feet tall.  Wow, people actually were coming up and standing on that walkway.

​Next was Ellis Island.

As we walk into the building, the first room is the “Baggage room” where immigrants checked bags before processing.  

We needed to eat lunch so moved to the remodeled original lunch room.  Yes, we sat and ate lunch where all the immigrants ate when coming through the island.

Later we hear from people who commented on their first meal in the US.  Most were very poor and had never seen many of the fruits and vegetables that were served them.  To them it was a feast instead of a simple meal supplied by the government.

​So many came through here that they had to expand the sleeping areas to three bunk tall rooms with little room between rows.  Even then these people appreciated what they were given.

​We heard the stories of those who worked through the government reviews and tests to see if they were acceptable for entry or would be rejected and sent back home.

The main hall was impressive. Imagining the impression for those who passed through here to be told they could continue or had to return to Europe.

From here they moved out into the rest of the country.

Back to the hotel and dinner at Murphy's Tavern on more time.