Angel Island Immigration Station, Immigration processing center in San Francisco Bay, United States.
Angel Island Immigration Station is a historic facility on an island in San Francisco Bay, composed of administrative buildings, dormitories, a hospital, and a powerhouse. The structures are built in a plain style of wood and brick and show the bureaucratic character of the facility.
The station opened in 1910 and served for three decades as a gateway for immigrants from Asia arriving in California. It closed in 1940 following a fire and after years of criticism about harsh conditions.
Chinese detainees carved over 200 poems into the wooden walls of their sleeping quarters, leaving verses about homesickness, fear, and hope. These inscriptions remain visible today and form a rare direct voice of the people who waited here for months or years for an answer.
The facility today is a museum located on an island reached by ferry. The tour leads through the dormitories, hospital, and administrative rooms and shows the process people went through.
European travelers went through inspections on board their ship and were usually allowed to leave immediately, while Asian immigrants were brought to the island. Some people remained here for weeks or months until their papers were reviewed.
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