Ellis Island: Site of Picnics, War, and Immigration
Ellis Island in New York Harbor was once the main immigration station for people
entering the United States. About a third of Americans can trace their ancestry to this
entry point. Today Ellis Island is a museum accessible by ferryboat.
The island is named for Samuel Ellis, a wealthy colonial landholder. He once owned the
land and used it as a picnic area. When selling the island, Ellis advertised it along with
several other items he had for sale, including a few barrels of excellent shad and
herrings and a large Pleasure Sleigh, almost new.
The U.S. War Department purchased the island for $10,000 in 1808. They built defenses
there in the buildup to the War of 1812. Fort Gibson was erected to house prisoners of
that conflict. Fifty years later during the Civil War, the Union army used the fort as a
munitions arsenal.
When the Civil War ended, Ellis Island was abandoned for twenty-five years. Then, in
1890, the government wanted a new immigration processing center. (This would replace
the Castle Garden Immigration Depot, the countrys first immigration station, which was
located on the tip of Manhattan.) Ellis Island opened in 1892 as the main processing point
for newcomers; at the time, about 70% of all immigrants passed through the island
facilities.
The first immigrant processed was Annie Moore, a teenager from Ireland who was
meeting her parents in New York. (She received a $10 gold coin!) The Ellis Island staff
continued to process immigrant steamship passengers until 1954, when the last immigrant
was the Norwegian merchant seaman Arne Peterssen. In the more than six decades of
operation, the immigration building on Ellis Island saw more than 12 million hopeful
immigrants. After 1954, the building was not attended to for about thirty years. It was
eventually refurbished in the late 1980s and re-opened as a museum in 1990. It is now
under jurisdiction of the US National Park Service.
Immigrants experiences on Ellis Island differed with social class. Wealthier immigrants
who traveled first or second class generally entered automatically without delay. Third-
class steerage passengers had medical exams and interviews. In the end, about two
percent were sent back across the ocean after these procedures. With these people in
mind, Ellis is also known as The Island of Tears and or Heartbreak Island.
Standard interviews included twenty-nine questions, including name, skills, and amount
of money available. Adults who seemed likely to become a public charge would be
turned away. The medical exams on Ellis Island were brief; they usually lasted only six
seconds! However, people who appeared ill received much more attention. Chalk
markings were put on their clothes to indicate suspected medical conditions. People who
didnt discreetly remove these markings were typically sent home or to the islands
hospital. About three thousand people travelers died in Ellis Islands hospital.
The United States enacted Quota Laws in 1924. These restricted immigration and
resulted in most processing being performed at embassies and consulates instead of
freestanding immigration stations. After 1924 Ellis Island was only sporadically used to
see war refugees and displaced persons. The island was used for Japanese internment and
to house German Americans accused of being Nazis.
Ellis Island was once the subject of a border dispute between New York and New Jersey.
Today the two states have divided ownership of the historic site: the main building
containing the museum is part of New York, and the old hospital buildings are part of
New Jersey. The monument has been managed and preserved by the National Park
Service since 1966.
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Privacy Aboard a Privately Chartered Yacht
All around the world, thousands of individuals are make the decision to charter a private yacht. The chartering of a private yacht has a number of advantages, such privacy. Speaking of privacy, you may be concerned with the level of privacy that you would be able to receive when chartering a private yacht. If you are, you are urged to read on. After a close examination, you will likely end up seeing just why, once aboard a private yacht, privacy may be the furthest thing from your mind.
From the name private yacht charters, you can automatically tell that the chartering of a yacht is private. In fact, you pretty much get to decide who you would like to have join you on your trip or travels. Whether you would like to travel just with your romantic partner, with a group of friends, or your family, can you can do so. While it is not uncommon for a private yacht chartering company to have a passenger limit, this limit is usually fairly large, like around ten or twelve people.
Aside from the passengers that you get to help choose, you will also be given your own personal crew. This crew is often composed of a captain and a number of other sailing members. Depending on which private yacht chartering company you choose to do business with, you may even have your own personal maid or chef! In fact, that is one of the many reasons why people choose to charter private yachts, because they dont have to do any of the work themselves.
Speaking of the yacht crew that comes along with the chartering of a private yacht, it is also important to note that many crews are legally required to give you privacy and stay mum on your travels. This is because many private yacht chartering companies require that their employees abide by strict privacy policies. These privacy policies are often the ones that require all employees to sign non-disclosure contracts. These contracts essentially state that they are prohibited from discussing any parts of your travel, like the activities that you participated in, with anyone that they personally know or even those that they dont know. Should these rules be broken, the employee or employees in question will likely lose their jobs.
The amount of privacy that you have will also likely depend on the private yacht that you end up chartering. Yachts are different than traditional boats, due to their size. This size is what often creates a large, spacious cabin. There are many yachts that already have private rooms, but many yacht chartering companies have remodeled their yachts to make sure that they do, if they didnt have them before. Essentially, this means that you should have a private bedroom, one that should have a door on it. This is ideal for those who are looking to charter a private yacht for a romantic getaway or a honeymoon.
If you are looking for a specific level of privacy, like also being able to eat your dinner in a secluded dinning room area, you will want to try and do business with a yacht chartering company that allows you to choose your own yacht. These companies are ones that often have a fleet of private yachts available for charter, instead of just one or two. When choosing your own private yacht to charter, you are advised to examine the layout of the yacht in question, as well as the overall size of it. Being able to make all of the decisions, particularly concerning the yacht, will enable you to have the utmost level of privacy available.
Now that you know how privacy is handled aboard a privately chartered yacht, you may be able to place more of a focus on the rest of your arrangements. If you have any specific questions, whether they are about your privacy or not, you are advised to ask them. Most yacht chartering company would be more than happy to answer all of your questions in person, over the phone, or through email.
TopGreat European Skiing Destinations
When it comes to skiing and winter sports, Europe has more than its fair share of amazing resorts. From the greatly priced, to the more than reasonable, Europe has it all, and has so much to offer any skier. If youve never been to Europe on a skiing holiday, or if youre looking to expand your experience, youll find something that catches your eye without too much research, and you might just end up joining the legions of skiing fans that wouldnt go anywhere else in the world for their vacation.
On mainland Europe, you have such a varied selection. From the world famous French skiing resorts to Austria, Switzerland and the tiny principality of Andorra, youve got such a wide range of skiing to choose from. France is known the world over as the true home of skiing, and the French really know how to do a quality vacation. With naturally amazing resources, and scenery that can take your breath away, France is an ideal location for a skiing trip. Why not try the Courchevel resort, which has four different ski resorts within one, providing the perfect blend of quality and affordability in a skiing trip. From the grossly overpriced 1850 resort, the playground of Europes film stars and playboys, to the seemingly remote 1350 at the bottom of the hill, you have so much to choose from in Europes finest skiing country. With the kids or with your friends, France is truly a destination that will make for a memorable skiing vacation.
Or how about some of the Italian resorts? Italy, famous for being the cheaper way to ski, also benefits from a diverse range of resorts, like the tiny Alba resort, as well as some larger, more sizeable areas to ski. Famous for passion and a depth of culture, Italy is the ideal place to take a skiing break in Europe, and the weathers good too! Or how about Italys neighbor, Croatia? A rising European nation, youll find a Croatian holiday outrageously good value for money, not to mention top quality. From the international standard ski resorts to their world class restaurants, Croatia is certainly a country on the up, and its skiing facilities can only improve as more and more tourists flock to their slopes each year. Additionally, Bulgaria is an excellent skiing destination to take the kids. With open arms, you will be welcomed by the Bulgarian people, who are more than eager to tell you about their rich and deep past, and welcome you as part of their future. In these expanding and developing European nations, you will come to appreciate the value of tourism, and the quality of treatment and service they are prepared to offer for your investment.
How about Austria for your skiing trip? When we think of skiing, we often imagine the Alpine ideal, with breathtaking scenery and fresh, clean air. Well, it simply doesnt come much better than Austria, and if youre looking for a skiing destination that has it all, why not try Austria for that touch of class with your skiing. Or why not pop over to Switzerland for their Alps experience? Skiing the alps in the home of chocolate and cuckoo clocks, you will be amazed at how picturesque this modern nation has managed to be, whilst still becoming a world leader in financial industry.
Skiing in Europe is the ideal way to spend your vacation. If you love skiing, you are guaranteed to find a great resort somewhere, within your budget that meets your needs, and caters for your ability. With most resorts also boasting strong training academies, you can also work to improve your skills while you are there, ensuring that your skiing trip is both useful and memorable. Whatever you are looking for, choose Europe as your number one skiing destination, for that perfect blend of quality, tradition and culture, and for a holiday that is truly breathtaking.
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