Thanks to its immigration history, Ellis Island is one of America’s great landmarks, to its immigration history, a place in New York harbor that represents the millions of people who arrived in this country during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Once processed here, a new arrival could head out to their new home — one of New York’s five boroughs or some other destination in the United States.
The north side of Ellis Island, now operated by the National Park Service as the Ellis Island National Museum of Immigration (part of the Statue of Liberty National Monument), saw nearly 12 million immigrants processed between 1892 and 1954.
Part of the “‘processing”’ involved medical and mental health tests. Most people passed successfully, then boarded a ferry to the mainland — and a new life.
But some were kept behind, those who did not pass those tests. They were then sent to the other side of Ellis Island.
In this special episode, sponsored by Founded By NYC, Greg and Tom recount the history of immigration into New York during the 19th century and the founding of Ellis Island in the 1890s.
Then they pay a visit to “‘the other side”’ — the Ellis Island Immigrant Hospital — with Justin Southern and Jim Dessicino of Save Ellis Island.
This non-profit leads hard-hat tours through these spectacular and unique ruins. And they are, in fact, ruins. Once a state-of-the-art health care unit, the hospital (and the rest of the island) was abruptly abandoned in 1954 and left to the elements.
Today, these buildings resemble something from an apocalyptic film with only haunted pieces of artwork — derived from images of the people who came through here — as the only evidence of the modern world.
What do these ruins mean to the story of immigration today? And can these memorable landmarks be saved?
LISTEN NOW: THE OTHER SIDE OF ELLIS ISLAND
The Bowery Boys Podcast is proud to be sponsored by Founded By NYC, celebrating New York City’s 400th anniversary in 2025 and the 250th anniversary of the United States in 2026.
Read about all the exciting events and world-class institutions commemorating the five boroughs’’ legacy of groundbreaking achievements, and find ways to celebrate the city that’s always making history at Founded By NYC.
FURTHER LISTENING
After listening to this episode, dive back into our catalog to learn more about some of the subjects from this week’s show.