ELLIS ISLAND MUSEUM TO CELEBRATE 20TH YEAR
Immigration Museum first opened September 10, 1990
New York, NY (September 9, 2010) – This week marks the 20th anniversary of the historic restoration of Ellis Island and the opening of its Immigration Museum on September 10, 1990, which was funded by the American people through The Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation. This world class museum has quickly become one of the most popular tourist destinations in New York City, welcoming over 35 million visitors to date.
Just half a mile from the Statue of Liberty in New York Harbor, the museum’s exhibits highlight the growth of America during the peak immigration years of 1880-1924. The galleries illustrate the Ellis Island immigrant reception process, the immigrants’ arrival and settlement throughout the United States and feature their “Treasures From Home” – the cherished personal objects, photographs and papers they brought with them from their homelands. And the American Immigrant Wall of Honor® celebrates the immigrant experience with the inscription of the names of over 700,000 individuals and families who have been honored by their descendants.
The Ellis Island Oral History Archive, created by the Foundation, contains the reminiscences of over 1700 individuals who either immigrated through or worked at Ellis Island during its heyday as the country’s largest immigration processing center. Excerpts from these oral histories are incorporated throughout the museum’s popular audio tour, which allows visitors to vividly relive the immigrant experience as if they were the "new arrival."
The American Family Immigration History Center®, which opened in 2001, offers easy access to the arrival records of more than 25 million immigrants, travelers and crewmembers who entered through the Port of New York and Ellis Island between 1892-1924, and is also available online at www.ellisisland.org.
The restoration of Ellis Island—the largest in U. S. history—began in 1984 as the second part of a multi-million dollar project by the Foundation, in partnership with the National Park Service/U.S. Department of the Interior, which included the Centennial restoration of the Statue of Liberty in 1986. All funds came from private donations, with more than 20 million Americans contributing to the cause.
The Museum is currently undergoing a $20 million expansion to be called The Peopling of America® Center. Designed by ESI Design, this exciting new Center will enlarge the story currently told of the Ellis Island Era (1892-1954) to include the entire panorama of the American immigration experience, with exhibits dedicated to those who arrived before Ellis as well as those who arrived after it closed, right up to the present. “The Foundation is proud of what it has accomplished over the last 28 years with the support of the American people in raising over $550 million for the ongoing restoration and preservation of these two most beloved monuments to freedom and opportunity,” said Stephen A. Briganti, President and CEO of The Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation. “With the Peopling of America Center scheduled to open in 2012, we will bring the ever-growing story of the populating of America to life, making the Ellis Island Museum both more relevant and a truly living testament to this Nation of Immigrants.”
For more information on the Ellis Island Immigration Museum please visit www.ellisisland.org.
The Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation
The Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation, Inc. is a non-profit organization founded in 1982 to raise funds for and oversee the historic restorations of the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, working in partnership with the National Park Service/U.S. Department of the Interior. In addition to restoring the monuments, the Foundation created a museum in the Statue’s base and the world-class Ellis Island Immigration Museum, The American Immigrant Wall of Honor® and the American Family Immigration History Center®. Its endowment has funded over 200 projects at the islands.
Ever dream of playing king or queen for a week? If so, you should consider renting Turin Castle in Co. Mayo. Brendan and Marnie Farrell have done an amazing job of blending authenticity with 21st century comfort in this private castle that's estimated to be more 750 years old. A half a dozen of us stayed in the castle this August, dining in the oversized hall while listening to our favorite tunes (great accoustics!), exploring the oubliette (look for the trio of photos with a black ladder), sleeping in luxury beddings, soaking in a claw foot tub while gazing out at the grazing horses, watching "Quiet Man" (filmed just about 10 km away), and, well . . . take a look at the photos that follow and see for yourself. A truly memorable experience for all!
During our recent vacation in Ireland, we had the opportunity to visit Moneygall, the town in Co. Offaly I traced Barack Obama's roots to back in 2007. It was my first chance to meet Stephen Neill, the local Anglican priest who had assisted with on-the-ground research, as well as Ollie Hayes, owner of the pub that's now become something of an Obama shrine (Ollie kindly opened early just for our visit!). Better yet, we were able to meet up with Corey Taratuta and Liam Hughes of Irish Fireside, who later took us to their charming B&B and the moving hedge school monument. I hope you'll enjoy these photos!
Yesterday I posted some photos from my recent visit to Cork, but I realized that I had left a batch on my iphone, so here are some more. Following you'll find:
- Cork City Council welcome rug
- Fionnuala MacCurtain pointing to the name of her grandfather, patriot Tomas MacCurtain
- The O'Driscoll family who lives in Annie Moore's last home in Cork -- Liz with her son Robert and daughter Michelle
- Signing the Cork City guest book with the Lord Mayor and Mayoress looking on
- Lord Mayor and Mayoress with Robert and Michelle O'Driscoll
- Close up of Lord Mayor's chain
- Key give to President Eamon de Valera in 1936 and loaned back to the Cork City Council by his family
- A view of the Michael Collins Barracks (huge and still operational!)
- Close up of page from Michael Collins's journal: "the people are splendid"
- Rowlands street sign (where Annie last lived) "in shadow of Shandon steeple"
- O'Driscoll family in Annie's last Cork house (now theirs) with sketch of Annie in background
- Close up of Annie Moore sketch on wall in room that would have been her house
- With Liz O'Driscoll in front of her house
- Tim McCoy in front of Annie's house
- St. Patrick's (where Annie was baptized) from outside
- Cork -- a view from a distance
On August 9th, thanks to Tim McCoy (the gentleman I regard as Annie Moore's protector on the other side of the pond), I was invited to Cork for what amounted to an Annie pilgrimage. Most astonishingly, the Lord Mayor of Cork Michael O’Connell and Lady Mayoress Catherine O’Connell held a reception for me at his office (you can read about it on the Cork City Council site). The office itself is almost a museum of Cork history and the Lord Mayor presented me a lovely photo book of Cork. Also in attendance were a number of historians (or their representatives), each of whom gave me signed copies of their books. These included:
- Fionnuala MacCurtain, author of Remember it's for Ireland: A Family Memoir of Tomas MacCurtain (she's also the granddaughter of this Irish patriot)
- Michael Lenihan, author of Hidden Cork: Chamers, Chancers and Cute Hoors
- Kieran McCarthy, author of Discover Cork
- Richard T. Cookes, author of An Irish Family Christmas and The Mardyke: Cork City's Country Walk in History
- Gerry White and Brendan O'Shea, editors of A Great Sacrifice: Cork Servicemen Who Died in the Great War
I also had the opportunity to mingle with other notables such as Debbie Walsh, General Manager of the Cobh Heritage Centre, and Jim Daly, Principal of Scoil Oilibhéir, the school whose students (with the help of Tim McCoy) have produced so many wonderful films about Irish history, including From Cork to New York about Annie Moore's life. As if that weren't enough, I was given DVDs of all the Scoil Oilibhéir films (Plaque for Annie, Deportation, First Confession, Tomas MacCurtain: Death of a Lord Mayor, and a Living History Programme with several Cork-related videos). And then Eabha Landers presented me a DVD of her first video, Tunnels in Cork, which I'm looking forward to watching shortly.
Tim was my host for the day and escorted me to St. Patrick's, the church where Annie Moore was baptized. Much to my delight, I was able to see the baptismal font that would have been used for her christening, and Parish Secretary, Aonghus O'Broin, was kind enough to let me have a look at the actual records. What a genealogical treasure trove! The church has placed some lovely photos of the visit online.
But there was more to come! I received a private tour of the museum portion of the Michael Collins Barracks from Curator Jim Horgan (you must go if you're ever in Cork!), which is still operational. To top it all off, not only was I taken to the building where Annie's parents were married, I was also invited to tea by the O'Driscoll family who lives at Annie's last home (in the shadow of Shandon's steeple) before her departure to America! It was remarkable to stand in the small room that would have been all that existed of the house at the time she lived there, and I'm grateful that this important piece of her heritage is in such good hands.
It was a day that will live on in my memory for many years to come, and I'm extremely grateful to all who greeted me so warmly -- none less so than Tim, of course, but thank you to all the welcoming people of Cork! I look forward to my next visit to your fair city. Until then, the following photos will at least preserve recollections of this one.
This scam – which I’ve received several times – amuses me more than most due to the claim that they have a client who shares my name. I am literally the only Megan Smolenyak (with one Smolenyak or two!) in the world. Maybe something happened to me in Madrid?? Ah, well – at least I seem to have left money for myself.
Hello,
My name is Mrs. Helen Parker; I work with the Trackingyouservice, a consulting
Firm in London, UK. We are conducting a standard process investigation involving
a client who shares the same name with you and also the circumstances
surrounding investments made by this client at HSBC Bank Plc.
The HSBC Private Banking client died intestate and nominated no next of kin to
inherit the title over the investments made with HSBC Bank Plc. The essence of
this communication with you is to request that you provide us information on
three issues:
1-Are you aware of any relative/relation having the same surname, whose last
known contact address was Madrid, Spain?
2-Are you aware of any investment of considerable value made by such a person
at the HSBC Bank Plc.?
3-Can you establish beyond reasonable doubt your eligibility to assume status
of next of kin to the deceased?
It is pertinent that you inform us ASAP whether or not you are familiar with
this personality that we may put an end to this communication with you and our
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You must appreciate that we are constrained from providing you with more
detailed information at this point. PLEASE RESPOND BACK TO MY PRIVATE AND DIRECT EMAIL ADDRESS; (info@trackyouservice.com) as soon as possible to afford us the
opportunity to close this investigation.
Thank you for accommodating our enquiry.
Yours sincerely,
Mrs. Helen Parker
Trackingyouservice
For: HSBC Private Clients.
This is a confidential message from Trackingyouservice