Stories

Fort Jay and the New York skyline from the top of Liggett Hall donated by a participant in the Oral History Program, January 1954.

U.S. Army Signal Corps

 

Oral History Project

Oral histories give us the opportunity to discover what life was like in the past. They are an authentic record that goes beyond the pages of a textbook. The goal of the Oral History Project at Governors Island National Monument is to connect with the men and women who left their mark on Governors Island.

National Park Service Rangers and volunteers have already conducted several interviews, but there are many more stories that need to be shared. Whether they are the memories of a child who grew up on Governors Island during World War II or a member of the United States Coast Guard who witnessed the island's closing in 1996, these narratives allow us to appreciate what the military posts at Governors Island meant to its residents and employees.

Below are just a few examples of the stories recorded through the Oral History Project, which future generations will be able to both learn from and enjoy.

Click on the links below to discover the rich history of the island from those who lived it:

• Betty Baird Nickerson
  Army Brat, 1934-1940
• Josephine Ilardi Wanderlingh
  Civilian Employee, Post Hospital, 1944-1945
• William Bandura
  Private First Class at Fort Jay, 1949-1952
• Steve de Carteret
  Son of a U.S. Coast Guard Captain, 1965-1970