Angel Island Immigration Station

As a part of Angel Island State Park, the Angel Island Immigration Station is one of America's most interesting national landmarks. Known as the Ellis Island of the West, the Immigration Station was the first stop for millions of immigrants who came to the United States in search of a better life. Below you will find a brief history of Angel Island and learn about visiting this historic location.

Why not visit the Angel Island Immigration Station?

Angel Island is a landmass in the center of San Francisco Bay that officially became a part of the United States after the war between Mexico and America in 1848. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the United States experienced a surge in immigration. Most of the immigrants who passed through New York's Ellis Island were of European origin, but those who came to the Unites States through the west coast were from the other half of the world. While millions of people passed through Angel Island, the vast majority of these immigrants were Asian.

The history of the Immigration Station at Angel Island is not without controversy. A rural area in southern China called the Guangdong Province was experiencing draught and famine at the end of the 19th century, and vast numbers of Chinese immigrants made their way to California. Many of these people settled in the western United States, and while they were welcomed for many years, Chinese immigrants were erroneously singled out to take the blame when the economy sputtered after the Gold Rush.

In 1882, Congress passed the Chinese Exclusion Act, which was the first time the United States ever used race or nationality to restricted immigration. To enforce this act, a new station was built on Angel Island to detain Chinese immigrants before they were processed and allowed to enter the country. Most detention times were a matter of a few days or weeks, but some people were detained from six months to two years in the escape proof detention center.

While on the island, men were separated from women and children, and all immigrants were subjected to humiliating medical examinations. The Chinese Exclusion Act was not repealed until 1943, and in 1963 Angel Island was designated a state park.

If you are planning to visit Angel Island Immigration Center, there are some important facts that you need to be aware of before you visit.

Angel Island is accessible only by ferries and private boats. Ferries run year-round and depart from Tiburon, San Francisco, and Oakland/Alameda. After arriving at Ayala Cove (where the ferries dock on Angel Island), visitors must make a thirty-minute walk to the Immigration Center, although shuttle service can be arranged for those who require assistance. Here is more information on getting to Angel Island.

Once you arrive at the island, there are numerous tour options for individuals and groups. Some areas of the facility are only accessible by guided tours, so consider making a reservation if you really want to get the most of your visit. Groups of 10 to 30 people can be arranged, but reservations must be made a minimum of two weeks before the scheduled date. Those looking for something totally different and exciting should consider booking a self-guided Segway tour.

Tours range from forty minutes to an hour and a half, and price breaks are provided for school groups. The Angel Island website has more information on tours.

The Angel Island Immigration Station is an interesting historical landmark If you are interested in spending a day in a peaceful location where you can learn something along the way, consider spending a day visiting the sites.

• Ferry Building at the Embarcadero
• Why Is It Called the Golden Gate Bridge
• Fun Things to Do in San Francisco

• Coit Tower
• Coupons for Monterey Bay Aquarium
• San Francisco Tattoo
• Bay Area Dog Hikes
• Best Dim Sum in San Francisco Chinatown

• Category:San Francisco Attractions
• Category:San Francisco History
• San Francisco Bay Cruise
• Angel Island Immigrants