Ellis Island, Contagious Disease Hospital Mortuary, New York Harbor, New York, New York County, NY

Significance: The Mortuary is a diminutive but important support structure for the Contagious Disease Hospital was constructed in 1907. It is integrated with its neighboring structures by a consistent use of materials and Georgian Revival decorative details. The Mortuary appears to have been the only building at Ellis Island specifically designed for that use and is a unique building type within the facility's development. This one-room structure was converted to the "Animal House" around 1919 to shelter small laboratory animals used in medical testing. This use seems to have continued until the hospital closed on March 1, 1951. Thereafter, the U.S. Coast Guard used buildings on Island 3 for file storage, with other buildings, possibly including the Mortuary, left vacant.
Unprocessed Field note material exists for this structure: N1581
Survey number: HABS NY-6086-N
Building/structure dates: 1907 Initial Construction
National Register of Historic Places NRIS Number: 66000058