'Haunted' island where immigrants were detained for years and some died
While Ellis Island in New York may be one of the most well-known immigration hubs in the world, seen as a sign of hope, its West Coast counterpart has a far more eerie history.
San Francisco's Angel Island, often compared to Ellis Island, has a dark and eerie past. Unlike its East Coast counterpart, which symbolises new beginnings, Angel Island is known for its grim history.
Located in the heart of San Francisco Bay, Angel Island offers stunning views of California's Bay Area. Today, it's a state park loved by locals for its hiking trails, beaches and camping spots.
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Jascenth Edwards, Carla Taylor, Lisa De Geneste and Artise Hardy enjoy a lunch break during a hiking trip through Angel Island State Park (Michael Macor via Getty Images)But before it became a popular outdoor spot, it was a processing centre for immigrants. Many spent years stuck on the island, waiting for their fate to be decided.
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Between 1910 and 1940, the US Immigration Station on Angel Island processed around 500,000 people from 80 different countries. It was primarily used to process Chinese immigrants due to the Chinese Exclusion Law of 1882, which banned Chinese labourers from moving to the US.
Despite controversy, construction of a detention centre, dormitories, a hospital, staff housing, a guard tower and various administration buildings began in 1905. People who landed on the island could be held for as little as two weeks to up to six months, with some stuck for two years.
The questioning was long and intense, and people weren't allowed to leave their locked dorms without a guard. Families were split up and at least two deaths were reported at the station; though some say there were also a number of unreported suicides.
The place was described as "prison-like", and after it shut down three decades later, with dozens of poems about the pain people went through found carved into the stone walls. These poems can still be seen today, and a line from one of them has become famous for the facility: "This place is called an island of immortals, but in fact, the mountain wilderness is a prison."
The detention centre was left empty after a fire destroyed the administration building in August, 1940 and the land was given back to the US Army to be used as a military base during WWII. The immigration station has since been turned into a museum, but it isn't a place that too many are happy visiting.
Unlike at Ellis Island where new arrivals were mostly welcomed, the goal at Angel Island was to keep people out. Some believe that there are still spirits on the island trying to do just that.
The most reported ghost sighting is of a young bride, who reportedly ended her life in the centre's toilets after she was told that she would be sent back to China. Many detainees said they felt a spooky vibe in the bathrooms of Angel Island after the young woman died there, with strange electrical issues also happening.
A small sailing ship makes its way from Alcatraz Island to Angel Island across San Francisco Bay (Carlos Avila Gonzalez via Getty Images)People have even claimed her presence can still be felt today. Some say they have seen her ghost, while others have heard various voices coming from the now crumbling buildings.
The site has been popular with ghost hunters who make the journey to Angel Island to see if there's any proof that can be gathered of the paranormal. TV shows from Discovery Channel and Travel Channel have made special programmes about the spooky place.
People chat about their spooky experiences on the internet too. One person on Reddit said the island's empty houses are full of ghosts. Another person posted: "That place is straight up HAUNTED, without question."
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Someone from San Francisco who went to the island on a school trip mentioned: "I still remember the eeriness and sadness that hangs in that place." A visitor who went there 40 years ago never returned because they heard strange noises like "creaking, rattling, doors opening and closing and the whispers of hundreds of people".
If you're brave enough to visit the island, you can travel there every day. Just make sure you don't miss the last ferry home!
* An AI tool was used to add an extra layer to the editing process for this story. You can report any errors to [email protected]
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