Ellis Island was closed in 1954 and remained abandoned for years before being resurrected as a tourist attraction and memorial to America's immigrants. The Mail Online has published an eerie series of photographs showing what Ellis Island looked like during those years of neglect.
The photos make it obvious that arrival at the immigration gateway was not a joyous occasion for every immigrant. Illness was common. Some immigrants were sent back to the "old country," including young children who were returned without being accompanied by an adult. Then there is the morgue and the mortuary building where autopsies were performed.
You can see the haunting images of America's immigration gateway at http://goo.gl/FL6qq.
My thanks to Michael Murphy for telling me about these pictures.
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