ANGEL ISLAND

Description

Essentials about Angel Island in brief

Although Angel Island is only about five kilometers from downtown San Francisco in San Francisco Bay, it still feels like being on another planet. Visitors can expect plenty of peace and quiet and lots of nature – as well as gorgeous views of the city and the bay. Accordingly, the nearby island is a popular recreation area for locals who like to come here for picnics, walks, kayaking, bird watching and, of course, relaxation.

The history of Angel Island

The idyllic appearance of the island, which is only three square kilometers in size today, belies its turbulent history. During the War of Secession, the Union Army established a camp on the island in 1863, which was later converted into an infantry barracks and served as a base for fighting the Indian population in the western United States. By the end of the 19th century, the entire island was used as a U.S. Army base. During the Spanish-American War, the garrison served as a reception camp for returning troops.

In the first half of the 20th century, it continued to be used as a transit camp and soldiers were embarked during the two World Wars. During World War II, Japanese and German prisoners of war were interned on Angel Island. The U.S. Army finally abandoned the base on Angel Island in 1946. However, an anti-aircraft missile base was again operated on the island from 1952 to 1962. Angel Island was also the site of a collection camp for immigrants. From 1910 to 1940, about 175,000 Chinese immigrants were received there. Some of the immigrants spent up to two years in the miserable conditions of the island camp.

The Angel Island Nature Reserve

Angel Island has been a nature reserve since 1958. Nature lovers will find a very interesting mix of native and exotic trees on the island, which were planted by the U.S. Army and the Department of Immigration at the time. In addition, one can encounter red deer and raccoons on Angel Island. Furthermore, California sea lions and many land and water birds are also at home on the island.