An interesting tidbit about Ellis Island. While we believe from scenes like that in Godfather II, that the immigrant ships docked at Ellis Island, the reality is that it doesn’t have a deep-water dock. All trans-oceanic ships docked first at the piers in Manhattan where immigrants were initially screened. Those who had money/connections could sometimes bypass immigration at Ellis Island and enter the country directly. The rest were taken by ferry to Ellis Island.
While the Great Hall where the initial processing occurred is now open for tours, the south end of the island contains the Ellis Island Hospital Complex and remains off limits. It operated from 1902 to 1951.
The hospital provided two main services: treating immigrants who were ill upon arrival and treating immigrants who had conditions which prohibited immigration until they were healthy enough to be sent back.
Over 275,000 patients were treated with 4,000 fatalities and 350 babies born. It’s a large complex of 29 buildings, most connected by covered walkways.
The climactic scene of Lawyers, Guns and Money takes place at the hospital, where Will Kane takes down IRA terrorists planning a daring attack on the city.
Excerpted from: New York City Little Black Book 1: Secrets, History, and Trivia of the World’s Greatest City.
You can follow me here https://bob-mayer.medium.com/subscribe You can subscribe to Medium (well worth it for the articles you can access) here: https://bob-mayer.medium.com/membership You can sign up for my email list for occasional free books and survival advice here: http://goo.gl/XnSgtB
