Message Government Should Be Delivering to Immigrants

One of New York City’s hidden gems is its Tenement Museum in the Lower East Side. Between 1863 and 1935, more than 15,000 immigrants from more than 20 countries called the tenement building their home. Today, tour guides provide personal histories of selected immigrant families in their reconstructed apartments. On my most recent trip, I learned about the Moore family, who came to New York from Ireland in the 1860s, after the Irish potato famine and around the time of the American Civil War.

Bridget Moore (then “Meehan”) arrived first, in 1863, when she was 17 years old. At the time, many young female immigrants worked as live-in maids for wealthy families uptown. Our guide explained that it was common for these young women to remain single, since getting married was a major economic downgrade. But evidently Bridget thought married life was worth the sacrifice. After about a year, she married another immigrant, Joseph, and moved downtown to live among the poor.

About the Author

Madeleine Kearns

Madeleine Kearns is a former staff writer at National Review.

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One of New York City’s hidden gems is its Tenement Museum in the Lower East Side. Between 1863 and 1935, more than 15,000 immigrants from more than 20 countries called the tenement building their home. Today, tour guides provide personal histories of selected immigrant families in their reconstructed apartments. On my most recent trip, I learned about the Moore family, who came to New York from Ireland in the 1860s, after the Irish potato famine and around the time of the American Civil War.

Bridget Moore (then “Meehan”) arrived first, in 1863, when she was 17 years old. At the time, many young female immigrants worked as live-in maids for wealthy families uptown. Our guide explained that it was common for these young women to remain single, since getting married was a major economic downgrade. But evidently Bridget thought married life was worth the sacrifice. After about a year, she married another immigrant, Joseph, and moved downtown to live among the poor.