We will depart from the South Shore (Sagamore / Plymouth / Rockland), arriving at Liberty State Park in New Jersey before we board the ferry that will take us first to Ellis Island, and then on to Liberty Island. When we depart Liberty Island, we will arrive on Manhattan at Battery Park by mid-afternoon, and then make our way to the 9/11 Memorial. Along the way, we will visit Trinity Church and Wall Street before spending the late afternoon and early evening at the 9/11 Memorial.
About Ellis Island – Many of us have immigrant ancestors who may have entered the United States through Ellis Island. First opened in 1894, Ellis Island was the clearing point for entry for more then forty million immigrants, many of whom left their homelands in search of a better life and greater opportunities. The museum provides digital guides (free) that help explain the process. Digitized files at Ellis Island make it possible for anyone to search for family history and records of arrival. Ellis Island closed as the primary entry point in 1954, and for the next 40 years, fell into a state of decay. However, preservationists, recognizing the historical importance of Ellis Island, have worked for the past 30 years to restore the site, now preserved for future generations to appreciate.
Liberty State Park (Statue of Liberty) will be our next stop. We will have passes that will allow you to the top of the pedestal, that will provide you with spectacular views of the Hudson River and the skyline of Manhattan. As you stand there looking out onto New York Harbor, it will not be difficult to imagine how your ancestor may have felt, standing at the rail on their ship, approaching the New World and all the promise that they knew it would hold for them.
Battery Park, is the southern end of Manhattan, at the confluence of the Hudson and East Rivers and the Atlantic Ocean. The name, Battery Park is in reference to the battery of cannons that first Dutch (1624), and later the English, placed facing the open sea to defend the settlement.
Trinity Church (the cemetery) is the resting place for Alexander Hamilton. We will visit the grave site, as well as spend a few minutes in the church, an outstanding example of 18th century architecture.
Wall Street gets its’ name from the wall that was built where today the street exists. Bot the early Dutch and English settled on the southern portion of Manhattan, and anything north of that defensive wall was wilderness.
9/11 Memorial. Certainly, any of us old enough to remember that day, knows where they were and what they were doing when the news of that horrible morning first broke. This will be an opportunity for many to see the site first hand.