Angel Island is a small island located on the coast of California. It has been an important island for many of the people who have lived in California. The Miwok Native Americans used it to hunt and fish. It was an Army post for many years dating back to the Civil War. From 1910 until 1940 it was a portal for many Chinese immigrants to begin their life in America. It is estimated that 1 million Asian immigrants passed through Angel Island before reaching California. Immigrants from Europe came through Ellis Island in New York. One of the main purposes of the island was to ensure that the new Americans were healthy before they moved onto the mainland, many to join the gold rush. The process often took up to 90 days, much longer than it took in Ellis Island.
• At 1.2 square miles, it is the largest island in San Francisco Bay.
• The island was named by Lieutenant Juan Manuel de Ayala.
• Ayala was a Spanish explorer who came to map the bay in 1775.
• In 1837, the island was used as a cattle ranch.
• It was called the Ellis Island of the West.
• In World War II, German and Japanese prisoners of war were kept on the island.
• In World War II, American soldiers built a baseball diamond on the island near Fort McDowell.
• The Angel Island Immigration Station Foundation preserves the history of the island.
• You can now camp on the island and explore some of the nine miles of bike trails.
• It has a population of 57.
• National Angel Island Day is January 21.
