The Vault | Angel Island Immigration Station - San Francisco (original) (raw)

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VAULT #27: In the Spotlight San Francisco attracted some of the most notable and newsworthy immigrants in the early 20th century, some of whom were detained at the immigration station.

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• 1. Immigrant Monument
     In April 1979, restauranteur Victor “Trader Vic” Bergeron donated a three-ton granite monument to Angel Island to honor the Chinese immigrants detained at the site. (link)
  2. The Jade Cage
     Chinese poems reference the once-green walls of the men’s barracks. It was one of several paint layers covering inscriptions left behind by former immigrants. (link)
  3. Remembering Baldy
     Hospital employee, Michel DeLaune, laid his beloved pet to rest at the Immigration Station. Seventy-five years later, the children who grew up on the island remember him. (link)
  4. Saving the Hospital
     Angel Island’s former immigration hospital was at risk of collapse after sixty years of neglect until renovation efforts transformed the building into a museum. (link)
  5. Keepers of the Gate
     After two weeks at sea, immigrants were confronted by immigration inspectors, who determined whether they could land in San Francisco. (link)
  6. Patient Inscriptions
     Patients wrote on the hospital walls as early as 1910. Nearly a century later, the messages and drawings were at risk of being lost forever. (link)
  7. Family Records
     Visiting the Immigration Station is the first step in uncovering your family’s history. Use this guide to find immigrant records related to Angel Island. (link)
  8. By the Numbers
     Between 1910 and 1940, approximately 300,000 immigrants from over 80 countries were detained at the US Immigration Station site. (link)
  9. The Restaurant
     Tales from the kitchen, its workers, and former immigrants have shaped our understanding of the restaurant’s role in Angel Island’s history. (link)
  10. Historic Landscape
      The Immigration Station was once home to hundreds of plant varieties from all over the world, some of which can still be found today. (link)
  11. Paper Son Soldiers
      Brothers Benson and Richard Wong arrived on Angel Island as paper sons. Their journey eventually led them to serve in the US Military during World War II. (link)
  12. Administration Building
      The administration building comes back to life with new research, photos, and 20 color plans showing how it was used by staff and immigrants. (link)
  13. Enemy Aliens of WWI
      In 1917, German sailors were captured in the Pacific, transferred to Angel Island, and interned for six months during the war. See 14 photos from their time on the island. (link)
  14. A Closer Look
      One of Immigration Station’s most recognizable photographs is reexamined, revealing new information about the immigration experience on Angel Island. (link)
  15. Employee Cottages
      For many, the island was a prison; for others, it was a home. Learn about the Station’s employee residents and what it was like growing up on Angel Island. (link)
  16. Sixteen Questions
      Interviews with former detainees create a portrait of collective memory, capturing the hopes, fears, and sacrifices of Chinese immigrants held in detention. (link)
  17. Poetry Insider
      Look beyond the translations to discover unique characteristics of thirteen Chinese poems, including their hidden histories and surprising connections. (link)
  18. Barracks | Room 105
      Take a deep dive through the history the first-floor Chinese men’s dormitory, discover what life was like for former detainees, and learn how they maintained order in the barracks. (link)
  19. Immigrant Heritage Wall
      Dedicated on Angel Island in 2011 and 2012, the Immigrant Heritage Walls contains 284 granite plaques honoring immigrant ancestors and former detainees. (link)
  20. Immigration Stations
      Angel Island was home to one of many immigration stations in San Francisco. From detention ships to high-rises, discover the city’s history of immigrant detention. (link)
  21. Art of the Barracks
      Historic drawings found carved into the walls of the detention barracks offer another glimpse into the daily lives of Angel Island immigrants. (link)
  22. Prisoners of War
      Follow a timeline of events between 1941 and 1946, when German and Japanese soldiers were imprisoned at the former US Immigration Station. (link)
  23. Quarantine Kangaroo
      Read two surprising stories of “immigrant” kangaroos whose arrival in the United States in 1905 and 1906 led to their detention on Angel Island. (link)
  24. WWII Barracks
      Built by the Army during World War II, twenty-one barracks once stood at the former immigration station. Discover the history of these buildings and what remnants can be seen today. (link)
  25. Hospital Cove
      The Angel Island Quarantine Station served as SF’s first line of defense against infectious disease. Learn how the site treated immigrants and what history still remains at the cove. (link)
  26. Barracks | Private Quarters
      Rooms 104 and 204 reveal surprising stories of former detainees, including a stowaway, student, escapee, tattoo artist, and several merchant sailors. (link)
  27. In the Spotlight
      San Francisco attracted some notable and newsworthy immigrants in the early 20th century, some of whom were detained at the Angel Island Immigration Station. (link)

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