Ellis Island

Ellis Island, now a 27.5-acre site located just minutes off the southern tip of Manhattan Island, New York, is likely to connect with more of the American population than any other spot in the country. It has been estimated that nearly half of all Americans today can trace their family history to at least one person who passed through the Port of New York at Ellis Island. Now, nearly a century since the peak years of immigration, Ellis Island is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the National Park Service. Browse the sections of this site below to locate additional information about Ellis Island.







Ellis Island Immigrant Experience - During the years of Ellis Island immigration from 1892-1924, there were more than twenty million individual stories that would eventually be shared with family and friends. Whether passengers or crew, first class or steerage, the voyage was an unforgettable experience. This section depicts two examples of the trip to paint a more vivid picture.

Ellis Island History - Have you ever wondered where the name Ellis Island came from or what the island was used for before it became known worldwide as the Gateway to America? This detailed history, courtesy of the National Park Service, takes you through the pre-Colonial period, through the American Revolution, the beginnings of Ellis Island as an immigration portal, and ultimately documents the use of Ellis Island as a museum to American immigration.

Ellis Island Timeline - A timeline history of Ellis Island, select a period of historical interest and quickly read a brief description of what the island was used for, what it was called, and how it would evolve into the Ellis Island we know today.

Ellis Island Photo Albums - These photo albums depict Ellis Island then and now. A collection of images from the 1890's and early 1900's show conditions aboard various ships, the Ellis Island Dining Room, immigrant processing at Ellis Island, and close-up views of the clothing worn by newly arriving immigrants. The "Ellis Island Now" album is a collection of modern day images of the attractions of this popular National Monument - including views of the Statue of Liberty, the Great Hall, the American Immigrant Wall of Honor®, the American Family Immigration History Center®, and more.

Ellis Island Family Histories - Share the experience of searching for an Ellis Island ancestor with one of six individuals. These individual stories, each unique in their own way, present a theme common among Americans today in searching for clues about their ancestral homeland.

Ellis Island & The Peopling of America - Irish, Italian, Jewish, Polish, Lithuanian . . . there were hundreds of immigrant groups that contributed to the building and expansion of American throughout the 19th and 20th centuries. As word of new opportunities in America reach foreign shores, some entire villages relocated to this Land of Opportunity, bringing their customs, culture, and cuisine with them. The Peopling of America examines the trends in a changing population.Visiting Ellis Island - Are you planning a visit to Ellis Island? Each year, more than three million visitors from around the world walk through the Great Hall at Ellis Island. The ferry ride and island grounds are a favorite destination for family vacations and reunions, school and group trips, and
Ellis Island also provides a clear view of both the New York City and New Jersey skylines.

Yosemite National Park

 Yosemite National Park is a national park located largely in Mariposa and Tuolumne Counties, California, United States. The park covers an area of 761,266 acres or 1,189 square miles (3,081 km²) and reaches across the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada mountain chain. Yosemite is visited by over 3.5 million people each year, with most visitors only seeing the seven square miles (18 km²) of Yosemite Valley. Designated a World Heritage Site in 1984, Yosemite is internationally recognized for its spectacular granite cliffs, waterfalls, clear streams, Giant Sequoia groves, and biological diversity.  About 89% of the park is designated wilderness. It was also the first park set aside by the U.S. federal government.  Although not the first designated national park, Yosemite was a focal point in the development of the national park idea, largely owing to the work of people like John Muir. 

Yosemite is one of the largest and least fragmented habitat blocks in the Sierra Nevada, and the park supports a diversity of plants and animals. The park has an elevation range from 2,000 to 13,114 feet (600 to 4,000 m) and contains five major vegetation zones: chaparral/oak woodland, lower montane, upper montane, subalpine, and alpine. Of California's 7,000 plant species, about 50% occur in the Sierra Nevada and more than 20% within Yosemite. There is suitable habitat or documentation for more than 160 rare plants in the park, with rare local geologic formations and unique soils characterizing the restricted ranges many of these plants occupy.

The geology of the Yosemite area is characterized by granitic rocks and remnants of older rock. About 10 million years ago, the Sierra Nevada was uplifted and then tilted to form its relatively gentle western slopes and the more dramatic eastern slopes. The uplift increased the steepness of stream and river beds, resulting in formation of deep, narrow canyons. About 1 million years ago, snow and ice accumulated, forming glaciers at the higher alpine meadows that moved down the river valleys. Ice thickness in Yosemite Valley may have reached 4,000 feet (1200 m) during the early glacial episode. The downslope movement of the ice masses cut and sculpted the U-shaped valley that attracts so many visitors to its scenic vistas today.

Be sure to check out the California Travel Center's Guide to visiting Yosemite and June Lake.

If you want  go Yosemite National Park 

here some direction:

Commercial Airports Near Yosemite Fresno-Yosemite International (FAT) Drive north on Highway 41 to Yosemite. Allow about 1.5 hours to the park's South Entrance or 2.5 hours to Yosemite Valley. Merced Airport (MCE)Drive east on Highway 140 to Yosemite. Allow about two hours to Yosemite Valley. Modesto City-County Airport (MOD) Drive east on Highway 120 to Yosemite (or head south on Highway 99 to Merced, then take Highway 140 into Yosemite). Allow about 1.5 hours to the park's Big Oak Flat or Arch Rock Entrance or about two hours to Yosemite Valley. Commercial Airports in the Bay Area San Francisco International (SFO) Drive on Highway 580 east to Highway 205 east to Highway 120 east to Yosemite (you can also take Highway 99 south to Merced, then Highway 140 into Yosemite). Allow about four hours to the park's Big Oak Flat or Arch Rock Entrance or five hours to Yosemite Valley. Oakland International  (OAK) Drive on Highway 580 east to Highway 205 east to Highway 120 east to Yosemite (you can also take Highway 99 south to Merced, then Highway 140 into Yosemite). Allow about four hours to the park's Big Oak Flat or Arch Rock Entrance or five hours to Yosemite Valley. San José International (SJC) Drive on Highway 880 north to 580 east to Highway 205 east to Highway 120 east to Yosemite (you can also take Highway 99 south to Merced, then Highway 140 into Yosemite). Allow about four hours to the park's Big Oak Flat or Arch Rock Entrance or five hours to Yosemite Valley. Commercial Airports North or East of Yosemite Sacramento International (SMF) Drive south on Highway 99 to either Highway 120 or Highway 140 east to Yosemite.  Allow about four hours to Yosemite Valley. Mammoth Yosemite Airport (MMH) Late May/June through October/November, depending on conditions Drive north on US 395 to Highway 120 west into Yosemite. Allow about an hour to Tioga Pass Entrance or 2.5 hours to Yosemite Valley. (Check on the status of the Tioga Road.) All year Drive north on US 395 to Highway 88, then take Highway 88 west to its junction with Highway 99. Once on Highway 99, drive south to either Highway 120 or Highway 140 east into Yosemite. Allow about seven hours to Yosemite Valley. Reno/Tahoe International (RNO) Late May/June through October/November, depending on conditions Drive south on US 395 to Highway 120 west into Yosemite. Allow about 3.5 hours to Tioga Pass Entrance or five hours to Yosemite Valley. (Check on the status of the Tioga Road.) All year Drive west on Highway 80 to Highway 99 south to either Highway 120 or Highway 140 east into Yosemite. Allow about eight hours to Yosemite Valley. Driving Directions Please note that GPS units do not always provide accurate directions to or within Yosemite. Yosemite covers 1,200 square miles and does not have a single address. We do not recommend using GPS units for directions in and around Yosemite. From the west and north San Francisco/Bay areaDistance: 195 mi / 314 km Time:4-5 hours Take I-580 east to I-205 east to Highway 120 east (Manteca) or Highway 140 east (Merced) into Yosemite National Park. Sacramento Distance: 176 mi / 283 km Time: 4 hours Take Highway 99 south to Highway 120 east (Manteca) or Highway 140 east (Merced) into Yosemite National Park. Reno & Lake Tahoe Approximately June through October, conditions permitting Distance: 218 mi / 351 km (Reno) Time: 5 hours Take US 395 south to Lee Vining; take Highway 120 west into Yosemite National Park (open late May/June through October, depending on conditions). All year Distance: 315 mi / 507 km (Reno) Time: 8 hours Take I-80 or I-50 west to Sacramento; take Highway 99 south to Highway 120 east (Manteca) or Highway 140 east (Merced) into Yosemite National Park. From the south Los Angeles area Distance: 313 mi / 504 km Time: 6 hours Take I-5 north (or I-405 north to I-5) to Highway 99 north to Highway 41 north (Fresno) into Yosemite National Park. San Diego area Distance: 441 mi / 710 km Time: 8 hours Take I-5 north to Highway 99 to Highway 41 north (Fresno) into Yosemite National Park. Las Vegas June through October, conditions permitting Distance: 350 mi / 560 km Time: 6-7 hours Take I-15 south to Barstow; Highway 58 west to the junction with US 395; go north on US 395 to near Lee Vining; take Highway 120 west into Yosemite National Park (open late May/early June through October, depending on conditions). November through May Distance: 495 mi / 797 km Time: 8-10 hours Take I-15 south to Barstow; Highway 58 west to Bakersfield; take Highway 99 north to Fresno. In Fresno, take Highway 41 north into Yosemite National Park. Death Valley National Park June through October Distance: 270 mi / 435 km Time: 5 hours Take Highway 190 west to US 395. Take US 395 north to Lee Vining; take Highway 120 east into Yosemite National Park (open late May/early June through October, depending on conditions). November through May Distance: 450 mi / 720 km Time: 9 hours Take Highway 190 west to US 395; take US 395 south to its junction with Highway 14. Take Highway 14 south to Mojave. In Mojave, take Highway 58 to Bakersfield. From Bakersfield, head north on Highway 99 to Fresno. In Fresno, take Highway 41 north into Yosemite National Park. Public Transportation Bus service is available to Yosemite Valley from cities throughout California (and the rest of the United States). Amtrak provides a combination of train and bus service to Yosemite Valley. Greyhound provides bus service to Merced, where you can transfer to YARTS to continue to Yosemite Valley. Yosemite Area Regional Transportation System (YARTS) buses also provide service from communities along Highway 140 between Merced and Yosemite (including Mariposa, Midpines, and El Portal). During summer, service is also available from east of Yosemite, via Highway 120 (including Lee Vining, June Lake, and Mammoth Lakes). Free shuttle service is available within some (but not all) areas of the park. If you arrive in Yosemite Valley by bus, access to other areas of the park is possible, as follows: Yosemite Valley (free shuttle service around eastern Yosemite Valley) Glacier Point (late May/June through October via fee-based tour) Badger Pass (mid December through March via free shuttle) Wawona (summer only; very limited shuttle service available from Wawona to Yosemite Valley in the morning and from Yosemite Valley to Wawona in the afternoon) Tioga Road/Tuolumne Meadows (July and August, along with weekends in June and September, via fee-based tour andYARTS Highway 120 East bus) Tuolumne Meadows (summer only; free shuttle service in the Tuolumne Meadows area) Hetch Hetchy Valley (no public transportation) Hodgdon Meadow (no public transportation)