GeeGee and I were up bright and early on Saturday to catch the subway to begin our day exploring New York City. Brian had equipped us with a schedule that detailed the trains we needed to take and which connections we needed to make, and we had no problem finding our way to Battery Park. A quick stop at the Starbucks right outside the subway exit provided a bathroom for me, a Carmel Frappuccino for GeeGee, and a chocolate chip muffin for us to share.
We quickly made our way through Battery Park to the Statue Cruises ferry station. While most of the tourists seemed to be slowly following each other through the crazy lines on one side of the barricades, I noticed a woman with a scanner standing on the other side of the barricades and approached her. She scanned our tickets and we were able to bypass all the other people by going through what seemed to be an accidentally-created “priority” line. Security was simple and we quickly found ourselves aboard the ferry.
Having taken this trip twice before, I instructed GeeGee to stand at the railing on the uncrowded side of the boat. She was reluctant to give up her distant views of the Statue of Liberty views but was happy she listened to me when the ferry approached Lady Liberty with our side of the boat yielding the best views. We were able to snap a few photos with the camera before the battery died and we had to resort to using our phones.
Because we had booked a 10:30 a.m. Ellis Island Hard Hat Tour, we skipped disembarking at Liberty Island and stayed on the ferry for the next leg of the trip to Ellis Island. GeeGee enjoyed watching Lady Liberty from the Ferry, and I geared up for what I was hoping would be an interesting tour.
I wasn’t disappointed. After exploring the main building and exhibits of Ellis Island, we checked in for our 90-minute tour which boasted promises of behind the scenes access to select areas of the unrestored 750-bed Ellis Island Hospital, including visits to the infectious and contagious disease wards, kitchen, autopsy room, and mortuary. At the peak of its operation, Ellis Island Hospital was the largest Public Health Services Facility in the United States.
Our tour guide was very thorough and provided many interesting tidbits as she described the history and the processes and procedures behind the construction and running of the large complex. While most immigrants successfully passed through Ellis Island in a matter of 5-7 hours and were deposited into the streets of New York or New Jersey, or boarded into trains to travel further into the states, many individuals were not so lucky.
Approximately 2 percent of those who arrived on American shores were refused entrance. Those classified as “idiots,” “lunatics,” “cripples” or “lame,” and those likely to become “wards of the public” were sent back to their country of origin. If someone was sick, injured, or visibly pregnant, this individual would remain at Ellis Island, separated from their family, until they were deemed healthy enough to enter the country or until it was determined that they should be sent back.
Gee Gee in the autopsy room.
Those who were ill were provided with some of the best and most thought-out medical care available in that time period. The hospital buildings and hallways promoted fresh airflow and light, and the wards were laid out in a staggered pattern to prevent cross-contamination and the spread of germs. Massive laundry facilities sanitized bedding and clothing and sheets were steam-pressed to prevent wrinkles and decrease the chances of bedsores. Non-contagious hospital patients had access to a movie theater and the grounds for exercise. Our tour took us into these buildings where we couldn’t help but admire the ruins of what once must have been an intimidating but beautiful facility.
Medical science was progressing at the time of peak immigration through Ellis Island, and pasteurization and bacteria were just beginning to be understood. Operating rooms were located on the top floors and utilized natural light from skylights and large windows to prevent explosions from the combinations of hot light bulbs and ether, which was still being used as an anesthetic. Carbolic acid was being used for sanitation purposes and we were able to see a huge autoclave built strictly for mattresses.
Each TB ward had a gowning area at the entrance and a separate exit with a de-gowning station to prevent cross-contamination, separated by these airy halls.
Babies stood a better chance at being born in the hospital versus the dirty tenement buildings of New York City, so visibly pregnant women were held until their babies were safely delivered, thus giving these babies a better chance at surviving early infancy. The tour passed quickly and, honestly, I think I could have spent another hour or two wandering the buildings and listening to the stories and information the tour guide had to share. Our 90 minutes spent in the Ellis Island Hospital ranked right up at top of my list for favorite vacation activities.
Following the conclusion of our tour, we stood in the hot, hot, hot sun before boarding the ferry back to Manhattan. To save time, we ate an unremarkable hot dog and pretzel while on the ferry. Back at Battery Park, we hitched an Uber to the 9/11 Memorial and Museum, which was next on our agenda.
My second trip to the 9/11 Memorial and Museum left me with the same surreal feeling as the first time I visited. GeeGee agreed. While certainly not an enjoyable place, by any means, the museum was planned and designed extremely well. It is a place that I think every American, especially those who are too young to remember 9/11, should experience at some point. United We Stand.
Following Brian’s detailed schedule, we successfully navigated ourselves through the large Fulton station to find that tracks for the 4 and 5 trains were under repair, and thus our desired trains were not running. We attempted to find the alternative recommended routes but suffered much confusion trying to find which train track was going in the right direction.
Eventually, by calling Brian, we were able to find the correct train, ride it, navigate a line change, and resurface in Long Island City, where we were to meet Brian at Caley and Caleb’s apartment. With great luck, we came out of the Subway stairwell and immediately heard my name being called. Caley and Caleb were walking Nola, Nina, Noah, and Emmie to the “Kids Night Out” event and were able to point us in the right direction before continuing on their way.
We successfully found their apartment and were able to reunite with Brian and a very sleepy Eilidh. Brian gave GeeGee a quick introduction to the Lewis apartment and then he and I rushed back out into the heat to meet Caley and Caleb for a concert date night while GeeGee stayed with Eilidh to babysit.
