Angel Island Immigration Station

U.S. Immigration Station, Angel Island, San Francisco Bay

Angel Island Immigration Station was an immigration station located in San Francisco Bay which operated from January 21, 1910 to November 5, 1940, where immigrants entering the United States were detained and interrogated.

The island was originally a fishing and hunting site for Coastal Miwok Indians, then it was a haven for Spanish explorer Juan Manuel de Ayala. Later, it was developed as a cattle ranch, then, starting with the Civil War, the island served as a U.S. Army post. During the island’s Immigration Station period, the island held hundreds of thousands of immigrants, the majority from China, Japan, India, Mexico and the Philippines. Wikipedia

Learn more about the Angel Island Immigration Station through historical newspapers from our archives. Explore newspaper articles, headlines, images, and other primary sources below.

Articles and Clippings about the Angel Island Immigration Station

Description of Angel Island in 1880, when it was the location of a military post Sat, Apr 10, 1880 – Page 10 · The Cincinnati Enquirer (Cincinnati, Hamilton, Ohio, United States of America) · Newspapers.comPlans for Angel Island Immigration Station "practically accepted"; construction to begin soon Sat, May 26, 1906 – 13 · The San Francisco Examiner (San Francisco, California, United States of America) · Newspapers.comNew Immigration buildings at Angel Island will not open when expected, 1909 Sun, Feb 21, 1909 – Page 14 · Oakland Tribune (Oakland, Alameda, California, United States of America) · Newspapers.comImmigration station at Angel Island is predicted to make immigration to US more difficult Thu, Jan 27, 1910 – Page 5 · The Coffeyville Daily Journal (Coffeyville, Montgomery, Kansas, United States of America) · Newspapers.comImmigration offices and immigrants to be moved to new Angel Island station Sun, Jan 16, 1910 – 8 · The San Francisco Examiner (San Francisco, California, United States of America) · Newspapers.comProspective immigrants are moved from old immigration detention centers to new Angel Island Sun, Jan 23, 1910 – Page 34 · The San Francisco Call (San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America) · Newspapers.comIndictments returned against 17 people in Angel Island "graft ring" corruption scandal, 1917 Sat, Oct 20, 1917 – Page 5 · San Francisco Chronicle (San Francisco, San Francisco, California) · Newspapers.comCongressional committee is divided on whether sanitary conditions at Angel Island are acceptable Sun, Jul 18, 1920 – 2 · The Los Angeles Times (Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States of America) · Newspapers.comChinese organizations protest the "intolerable" red tape at Angel Island for Chinese immigrants Tue, Apr 19, 1927 – 2 · The San Francisco Examiner (San Francisco, California, United States of America) · Newspapers.comChildren of legal Chinese immigrant are detained for two years at Angel Island, 1930 Sun, Feb 23, 1930 – Page 7 · Oakland Tribune (Oakland, Alameda, California, United States of America) · Newspapers.comImmigrants from Asian countries continue to arrive at Angel Island despite restrictions, 1936 Tue, May 26, 1936 – 27 · Dayton Daily News (Dayton, Montgomery, Ohio, United States of America) · Newspapers.comUnited States may close Angel Island in favor of a mainland immigration center, 1937 Fri, Oct 22, 1937 – Page 23 · Oakland Tribune (Oakland, Alameda, California, United States of America) · Newspapers.comPhoto of some of the German sailors being held at Angel Island during World War II, 1940 Wed, Jan 31, 1940 – 3 · The San Francisco Examiner (San Francisco, California, United States of America) · Newspapers.comLarge fire breaks out at Angel Island; detained German sailors help fight the fire, 1940 Tue, Aug 13, 1940 – 6 · The San Francisco Examiner (San Francisco, California, United States of America) · Newspapers.comPhoto of the fire-ruined administration building at Angel Island in 1940 Tue, Aug 13, 1940 – 4 · The Tampa Tribune (Tampa, Florida, United States of America) · Newspapers.comDetainees are moved from Angel Island to the mainland following fire in 1940 Wed, Nov 6, 1940 – Page 10 · Oakland Tribune (Oakland, Alameda, California, United States of America) · Newspapers.comAfter immigration station closes, Angel Island goes up for sale, 1949 Wed, Feb 9, 1949 – 33 · The Evening Sun (Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America) · Newspapers.comHospital Cove on Angel Island to be accepted as a California state park site, 1954 Thu, Jan 21, 1954 – Page 1 · Daily Independent Journal (San Rafael, Marin, California) · Newspapers.comPhoto from 1974 of writing on the walls of Angel Island Immigration Station Mon, Jul 29, 1974 – 6 · The San Francisco Examiner (San Francisco, California, United States of America) · Newspapers.comChinese immigrants remember their experiences at Angel Island; many recall it with bitterness Wed, Sep 9, 1981 – 11 · The Record (Hackensack, Bergen, New Jersey, United States of America) · Newspapers.com"Angel Island holds story of Chinese immigration" Sun, Oct 14, 1990 – Page 71 · Green Bay Press-Gazette (Green Bay, Brown, Wisconsin, United States of America) · Newspapers.comRestoration project underway to restore & preserve poems written on walls at Angel Island Thu, Dec 15, 2005 – Page 19 · The Daily Tribune (Wisconsin Rapids, Wood, Wisconsin, United States of America) · Newspapers.comPhotograph of immigrants at Angel Island, the "Ellis Island of the West" Thu, Jan 21, 2010 – Page 16 · The Los Angeles Times (Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States of America) · Newspapers.com