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Artifacts Being Returned To Ellis Island Following Superstorm Sandy

BALTIMORE (WJZ)—Artifacts are being returned to a New York museum 3 years after Superstorm Sandy slammed Ellis Island.

WJZ's Linh Bui has more.

In 2012, Superstorm Sandy covered Ellis Island in water and left behind damage.

At the Ellis Island National Museum of Immigration the conditions were concerning.

"We didn't have climate control to maintain in the museum, so we moved the museum collection at that time from Ellis Island to Maryland," said Diana Pardue, Chief of Museum Services Division.

Thousands of artifacts and more than a million archival documents were wrapped and safely brought to the National Park Service storage facility in Landover.

Now, thanks to millions of dollars in renovations at the museum, these items are ready to return home and the timing could not be better.

"Today is an important day for Ellis Island because it's the 25th anniversary of the opening of the Ellis Island Immigration Museum. We're very excited that on this day, to be able to move this collection back to Ellis Island, said Pardue.

The collection was carefully loaded up and the trucks should reach Ellis Island Thursday afternoon.

Officials say curators will start unpacking tomorrow, getting these pieces of history ready for the public once again.

One of the most special pieces in the collection?

The only remaining inspector's desk used to check in immigrants.

The museum should have the collection back on exhibit by the beginning of October.

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