Castle Clinton - The Fort Before Ellis Island

Photo: Tdorante10, CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)

A stop on Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, a free self-guided tour.

You are standing inside a round stone fort that has lived more lives than almost any building in New York. Castle Clinton went up between 1808 and 1811 as the West Battery, built to guard the harbor from the British. Back then it sat on its own small artificial island just off the shore; landfill later joined it to Manhattan.

In 1824 it became Castle Garden, a concert hall seating 6,000, where the Swedish singer Jenny Lind gave her first American concerts in 1850. Then, from 1855 to 1890, it was the country's first big immigrant depot, and roughly eight million newcomers passed through these walls before Ellis Island existed.

Today it holds the official Statue City Cruises ticket office. Pick up your tickets here, and if you booked the crown, collect your wristband now: you can't get it later. Before you head to the water, look up at the gun openings set into the thick walls.

Getting here: Start in Battery Park at the southern tip of Manhattan. Castle Clinton is the round stone fort near the waterfront, a short walk from the Bowling Green and South Ferry subway stations.

Did you know?: From 1896 to 1941 Castle Clinton was the New York Aquarium, one of the most popular attractions in the city.

Photo op: From the lawn outside, frame the arched entrance in the fort's curving wall, with the trees of Battery Park behind.

Nearby: Food kiosks are scattered through Battery Park, with many more cafes on the streets just north of it. Ask park staff or check signs for the nearest public restroom.

More on Wikipedia: Castle Clinton · Jenny Lind · The Battery

Castle Clinton - The Fort Before Ellis Island

Stops on this tour