Ellis Island Part of Statue of Liberty National Monument

Uncover the hidden history of World War I in the national parks!

Few employees have left as visible a mark on National Park Service (NPS) exhibits as John A. Segeren. His work has been enjoyed by generations of park visitors who never knew his name but appreciated his intricate wood carvings and playful animal figures displayed in parks throughout the system. A master woodcarver described by former President Lyndon B. Johnson as "a legacy to this country," Segeren carved out his own place in NPS history.

As the ferry bringing visitors to Ellis Island pulled into the dock it quickly became clear that this boat was not carrying the usual complement of tourists. About a hundred passengers all clad in blue tee shirts seemed to disembark with an unusual sense of purpose. They all looked as if they were on a mission. They were.

The National Park Service and Evelyn Hill Inc., the food service concessionaire at the Statue of Liberty since 1931 and Ellis Island since 2009, have cooked up a way to celebrate Pizza. We’ve invited five purveyors of one of America’s favorite foods to share their crusty craftsmanship and their founder's immigration stories with a temporary exhibit in the Ellis Island National Museum of Immigration.

Ellis Island, NY – It took two years to develop, and the results have head(sets) spinning in the Great Hall of the Ellis Island National Museum of Immigration. Using historical photographs, measured drawings, studies, oral histories and other historical research materials from National Park Service archives, students from the Bergen County Academies re-created the Registry Room or Great Hall in a simulated Virtual Reality program for VR Headsets.

US participation in World War I fanned the flames of anti-immigrant sentiment, despite the fact that many immigrants served with distinction in the US military.

Diane Harris was initially reluctant to pursue a Park Service career. However, she soon found that national parks were "in her blood". Her 26-year career saw her rise from clerk to superintendent at one of our most iconic national monuments.

In the early morning hours of July 30, 1916, a munitions depot located on Black Tom Island, in Jersey City, NJ, was deliberately sabotaged to prevent supplies from being delivered to Britain and France during World War I. Although this is the closest some would come to combat during the war, the attack rattled at America’s golden door.