Monday October 19, 2020 - Ellis Island and Liberty Island

I woke up today with an itch to actually go and walk on Ellis Island and Liberty Island.  We weren't planning on doing that, but I wanted to.  Good old NY Waterways made it really easy for me to get tickets that leave from Jersey.  I bought the kids and I passes for the day.  This experience was probably my favorite "Statue of Liberty " experience we have had.  

We left from Liberty Harbor here in Jersey.  The company had a security check much like the one that the airport has.  They scanned us for weapons and anything else they were looking for.  After about 10 minutes, we were able to board the first boat.  Our first stop was on Ellis Island.  Then we jumped on a boat that took us to Liberty Island.  When we were done, the ferry brought  us back to Jersey.  All these boats for one low price:))))) ya right

Ellis Island

Our tickets came with an audio tour for both islands!!!  We used hand held phones that told us many stories, facts and the history of both islands.  Ellis Island was especially special to me.  I learned so much as did the kids.  I had no idea of the lengthy process that the immigrants had to go through to be able to live here.  I had a relative named Bernardo Nicosia that came through many years ago.  The stations to look up your family names were closed and the family history center was $30 so I didn't look his name up.  I guess my older brother Matt already looked him up.  

Liberty Island  

At the end of our tour, we jumped back on the ferry so that we could head over to Liberty Island. I saw this plaque on our ferry.  This was one of the boats that went to the rescue of all the people in Manhattan on 9-11.  They hauled thousands of people off the island on this boat!! How cool is that???

Just so you know, walking on the island to see the Statue of Liberty was far better than driving by on a boat. I recommend going on the island if any of you ever visit!! The first thing we did was get our audio tour phones.  The information they gave us on those tours was fantastic.  We learned so many things.  Here are a few things that the kids told me that they learned:

Asher - The base that the Statue of Liberty is on, is in the shape of a star and it represents the stars on the flag.

Graham - The skin of the statue, is 2 pennies thick.  That's all

Pepper - The crown on her head stands for the 7 seas or the 7 continents.  Also, the Statue is green now because of the rain and sun that made the copper oxidize over time.  

Taj - It used to float on water and now it is on an island ??? I'm not sure where he got that, but hey!!!!!

We also learned that the original torch is not on the statue.  The statue was a gift from France and they funded the statue.  The base that she is standing on was funded by the Americans.  That was the agreement between the two countries.  The Americans had a hard time raising money for the base for one reason or another. To help raise money, some guy who owned a local newspaper, put an add in saying that if you donated money to the fund for the base, he would put your name in the paper.  He raised all the money necessary to build the base.  

The symbolism on the statue!

1- Broken chains on her left foot represents freedom from oppression.

2- Her tablet with our Independence Day July 4, 1776

3- Her crown looks like the suns rays sharing enlightenment and reason through the world. 

4- The torch - bringing justice and truth to the world.

I love the history of our country.  We truly live in the chosen land!!

Taj took this picture :))

Ferry schedule

Our ride home on the ferry was spent talking about everything we learned and how amazed we all were!!