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Thanksgiving is a uniquely North American holiday (it has long been celebrated in Canada as well as the United States.) Historic newspaper accounts report of the efforts of individuals and organizations to bring Thanksgiving to those deemed less fortunate in the greater New York City metropolitan area. For homeless newsboys to inmates at Riker’s Island, there was turkey on Thanksgiving. According to a 1907 New York Times article, “If any one [sic] in New York missed turkey yesterday on account of hard times it was because he had hidden himself so well that a Sherlock Holmes could not have found him…”

On October 1, 2019, Save Ellis Island celebrated the Fifth Anniversary of the reopening of the South Side for tours and programs. For 60 years, the doors of the Ellis Island Hospital Complex were closed. On October 1, 2014, we opened those doors and began leading guests behind-the-scenes through the unrestored historic hospital buildings.

Historic building rehabilitation is no small undertaking.  Before work begins, at project initiation, you have to prepare an existing condition assessment.  This Report is a preservation and rehabilitation tool that identifies, describes, and generally evaluates the existing condition of a historic structure and its associated environment.  It is a detailed accounting of the material elements and components of the structure, including its structural system, exterior and interior finishes, architectural ornamentation and features, and building systems at that particular point in time.  Of concern to preservation and design professionals is the cumulative effect of seemingly minor changes over time, which can greatly diminish the integrity of a historic building. The Recreation Pavilion held many secrets.

Joe McNally Photography and Save Ellis Island hosted two days of exciting, exclusive hands-on photography workshops on Thursday, September 26 and Friday September 27. These two full days of shooting with world-renowned photographer, Joe McNally took place in select Ellis Island Hospital buildings not readily open to the public.

Ninety lucky students from the Cornelia F. Bradford School - P.S. 16 in Jersey City, NJ., were chosen to participate in a special holiday program hosted by Save Ellis Island with special guest and author of An Ellis Island Christmas, Maxinne Leighton.

As the major Jewish holidays of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur approach, Save Ellis Island is reflecting on Jewish immigration to America. When New York was still New Amsterdam there was a small population of Jews living on the island of Manhattan. During the first half of the 19^th century they were joined by a wave of German Jews who came to America. By 1877 the American Jewish Yearbook records the presence of over 200,000 Jews in the United States.