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“My grandfather’s American Dream was shattered…I cannot imagine how he felt.” – Margaret (Maggi) Sellers

Author Tom Bernardin was a former National Park Service ranger at pre-restoration Ellis Island. During his three seasons there, he had the privilege of giving countless tours of the crumbling immigration facility.

Save Ellis Island would like to thank the staff at BrightView Landscapes for generously donating their time to clean up the lawns on the south side of Ellis Island.

As we approach St. Patrick’s Day, we are reminded that the Irish American story spans hundreds of years of immigration. The first cause of Irish influx to America was the Industrial Revolution. From the 1760s farmers and laborers lost their livelihoods and Europe became more industrialized. The period of the Great Hunger in Ireland from 1845 to 1850 is the most well-known period of mass immigration from Ireland when more than a million fled to the United States. Immigration continued through the 1900s with the Irish in search of a better life during periods of hardship. It’s of little surprise that today 39.6 million Americans claim Irish ancestry.

We received this glowing testimonial from Georgina Degano from Azul City, Argentina.

The holidays were very important on Ellis Island, perhaps the most celebrated was Christmas. It was observed each year at Ellis Island through religious services, festivities, and gift giving. The Roman Catholic Church and the various Eastern Orthodox and Protestant Churches and denominations offered separate religious services in accordance with their respective traditions.