After more than half a century of debate and bureaucratic tussling, Ellis Island’s ferry terminal is about to reopen. It will become the first building on New Jersey’s side of the island to reopen to the public since the U.S. Coast Guard closed the terminal in 1954. From 1892 to 1954, this was the spot where millions of immigrants waited to board the ferry to mainland America after their ocean crossing.
The April 2 grand re-opening of the 1934 art deco–style structure will reveal restored terra-cotta wainscoting, terrazzo flooring, and a bronze chandelier. The first exhibit, covering the country’s peak immigration period in the early twentieth century, will feature multimedia presentations and stories from doctors and nurses who ran the island’s hospital system.
“It’s something New Jersey can be proud of,” says Elizabeth Jeffery, director of program development for Save Ellis Island, one of the organizations behind the $4 million facelift. “Those buildings were falling into the Hudson. If New Jersey hadn’t taken responsibility for what was happening, they would be lost.”