Starting on Friday the Statue of Liberty will be closed to the public for a year for some much needed interior work, but that doesn't mean that the curious won't be able to catch a view from the top of Liberty Island (which will remain open during the construction). As part of the statue's 125th anniversary celebration on Friday five 24/7 webcams will be going live from atop Lady Liberty's torch—a place which has been inaccessible to the public since 1916. more ›

Yesterday Bruce Springsteen traveled to Ellis Island with his mother and aunts to be honored with an Ellis Island Family Heritage Award. The Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation, Inc. presents the award to immigrants and/or their descendants "who have made a major contribution to the American experience," and even though Bruce was Born in the U.S.A., his family roots are in Italy—his maternal great-grandmother, Raffaela Zerilli, arrived at Ellis Island on October 3rd, 1900. more ›

Save Ellis Island started up in 1999, partnering with the Parks Service to fix up the site's historic architecture. In 2007 preservationists completed work on the Art Deco style Ferry Building and they've more than half finished the Laundry/Hopital Outbuilding, where immigrants' sheets were washed. To renovate the island's other 27 buildings will cost an additional $350 million. more ›

There are very few statues of women in New York City, but one on Ellis Island is of Annie Moore — believed to be the first immigrant to set foot there on January 1st, 1892. Little was known about Moore, and what happened to her after she came New York; until now it was believed she died in a car accident after moving Texas. more ›

There's nothing more satisfying than a rusting piece of our history being pulled from its watery grave. Earlier this year we saw this old bell be dredged up in Coney Island, and now Lady Liberty's Twitter alerts us that the old sunken Ellis Island Ferry has been pulled from the water. They say, "The old ferry, Ellis Island, which carried millions of approved immigrants to Manhattan" has remained sunken at her slip for decades. They note "It is being removed to allow restoration work on the seawall, and improved boat access to the slip." more ›

Later this month some special twilight tours will be running to Ellis and Liberty Islands (on the 24th and 25th, respectively). They're being touted as a "once in a lifetime" opportunity, so here's your heads up! "For the first time in the history of Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, both attractions will be open on select nights during National Park Week to the general public for tours. This historic undertaking will offer guests not only the tour, but also a first glimpse of Ken Burns' major new documentary on the history of National Parks of the United States." Park Rangers will also be available for a Q&A and dinner (which includes one beverage) is part of the $29 price. This will sell out soon, so get movin'. Just don't accidentally get locked inside Lady Liberty overnight, like these two girls did in 1904! more ›

Last July 4th word came out that the Statue of Liberty's crown may have a shot at reopening, after being closed off to the public following 9/11. Now the Daily News reports that, according to Interior Secretary Ken Salazar (who visited the crown in January), the grand reopening could take place on America's 233rd birthday. more ›

The first immigrant to enter America through Ellis Island was finally given a proper burial yesterday over eighty years after she died. Annie Moore immigrated from Ireland as a 17-year-old on January 1, 1892 and was given $10 in gold for her place in history. For many years, historians had believed that as an adult she had migrated west and passed away somewhere in Texas. Then in 2006 during the making of a documentary, genealogist Megan Smolenyak discovered that Moore had been buried unceremoniously in an unmarked grave in Queens. That prompted five of her great-grandchildren to raise $25,000 for the Celtic cross made of limestone that was dedicated in her honor yesterday at Calvary Cemetery in Woodside. The ceremony was attended by family members and Irish personalities and even involved a letter from Barack Obama. more ›

In Mark Kurlansky's 2005 book about New York City and oysters, The Big Oyster: History on the Half Shell, the author suggested that given the improved environmental conditions of New York Bay, perhaps the time is ripe to start replanting the oyster fields that used to carpet the underwater surface. The City and environmentalists are now undertaking a project to replant oyster beds in the bay, not for harvesting, but as natural, or soft, anti-pollution filters. more ›

Plans to renovate Pier A, the last remaining pier on the lower west side, are staggering forward again. The Victorian-era three-story pier was built immediately after the Brooklyn Bridge, using much of the same equipment, and was once one of the city’s proudest points of entry, boasting visits from boldface names like Amelia Earhart and the Queen of England. Today it’s a dilapidated eyesore that clashes with the rest of the lavishly rehabilitated west side waterfront, and Governor Spitzer’s office is stepping in to coordinate renovations. more ›

Last week we were tipped off to a new, nearby festival temporarily dubbed Coachella East, because of it's relation to the mammoth west coast fest and their shared event producer. Now we learn the proper name, All Points West, and some more details from the press release:

The three-day event is set for August 8, 9 and 10, 2008 at Liberty State Park in New Jersey. This historic location offers panoramic views of the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island and the Manhattan skyline. The festival’s name is inspired by the area’s rich history, particularly Ellis Island and the NJ Central Railroad terminal located on the festival site, where people boarded trains for All Points West.

A report released by the Center for Immigration Studies shows that foreign born immigrants living in New York are socioeconomically closer to the average citizen than elsewhere in the country. The study says that New York immigrants are more likely to be in the country legally, have health insurance and tend to be better educated. The New York Times reports that the states with the widest income gaps between immigrants and citizens are California, Texas,... more ›

Earlier this year the National Park Service ended Circle Line's contract to run their ferry service between lower Manhattan and the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island (Hornblower will take over in October). Below you can check out some old footage of what their 3-hour boat tour had in store back in the day (with old-timey commercials played over the footage). more ›

After reviewing a number of bids, the National Park Service ended Circle Line's contract to provide ferry service between lower Manhattan and the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. The new ferry service provider will be Hornblower Yachts of California, which offers service between San Francisco and Alcatraz. Hornblower: Taking you to Liberty and lock-up. more ›

The Statue of Liberty celebrated her 120th birthday yesterday with the Ladies' Auxiliary of the Veterans of Foreign Wars. But can you imagine living on Liberty Island? The NY Times has a feature on the Hill family who has been selling souvenirs and food for the past 75 years. Bradford Hill operates the business today (it makes $15 million a year), in the footsteps of his grandparents Aaron and Evelyn and his father James who was actually born on Liberty Island and lived there until he was eight. From the NY Times:

Some of the residents of the barracks on Bedloe’s Island commuted across the harbor to work on Governors Island. If they needed medical care, they rode boats to Brooklyn, Jim Hill recalled in a recent interview near his home on the Upper East Side. more ›

Sometimes we think deputy mayor Dan Doctoroff is a little nuts. Take for instance his newest brain-child: The New York Harbor District. Whereas most official districts in the city are defined by geographic proximity and commercial interests the Harbor district, which recently formed an advisory board and is seeking a director and consultants to help define it, will include Governors Island, the Statue of LIberty, Ellis Island, parts of the Brooklyn waterfront Battery Park City. more ›

- Nice shot. more ›

So, yesterday was the 30th anniversary of the first Son of Sam killings and today is another sad day in local history (*cough* Jersey *cough*). On July 31, 1916 Black Tom island, which was next to Liberty Island, literally blew up and off the map (what was left of the island is now part of the mainland in Liberty State Park). The island was a major munitions depot. And by major we mean "2,000 tons of munitions parked in freight cars and pierside barges." After midnight small fires started on some of the piers and then began to grow. Around 2:08 a.m. the munitions started to explode. more ›

The Statue of Liberty won't need to worry about Con Ed having another blackout and dousing the light in her torch: The General Services Administration will get power from wind turbines. The Post reported that the GSA signed a three year contract for wind power to light the statue, plus Ellis Island, from upstate and other states, so no freaking out there the government will be putting huge windmills on Ellis Island - we're guessing the wind mills are situated near the Albany, because there's lots of wind up there from those windbags. But this make Gothamist wonder about having wind farms off the water in the city - those wind gusts from the water can be fierce. more ›

It's not secret that we love panoramic imagery of NYC-- and one of our favorite sources has long been Urban75. Their NYC panorama page has dozens of 360-degree images of the city-- and the November 2005 update added at least a dozen more. Some of the new ones: Orchard Street (seen above), Mercer Street, Battery Park, Ellis Island, Grand Central, East River, Williamsburg Bridge. Awesome! more ›

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For more events, check out Gothamist Arts & Events. more ›

With protesters downtown marching to their hearts content, members of the Republican National Convention were watching Broadway shows, with plenty of protection from the NYPD. Hours before delegates were to leave a NY Times sponsored screening of The Lion King, demonstrators, police, and busses were outside the New Amsterdam Theater. Republicans all over New York? New Amsterdam indeed. more ›

Kraft made Republican and Democratic Macaroni & Cheese in 1996, as well as 2000 (there was also a Convention Barbie handed out in 2000). And what was in this year's Democratic delegate goodie bag.
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Kim, Park Slope more ›

The Daily News also reports that Mayor Bloomberg donated $100,000 out of his billionaire pockets to the fund to reopen the Statue of Liberty - great - but then noted some of his other donations: $6 million to the Education Department's Leadership Academy to help train city principals and $5 million to bring the Republican National Convention the NY. Of course, the ideal timing for the Bush White House is for the Statue of Liberty to open in time for the convention, but Secretary Norton was vague about timing. more ›

Candice Holmes, Recent Grad more ›

Chelsea Peretti more ›