Poetry Conservation,
Angel Island Immigration Station
National Park Service, California State Parks & Angel Island Immigration Station Foundation
Angel Island State Park, California

In 2001, ARG conducted a detailed investigation of the carved, incised, and written poems on the walls of the Detention Barracks at the Angel Island Immigration Station. These writings, dating from 1910 to 1940, represent a significant part of the Asian-American immigration experience. The poetry conservation study included documentation of poem locations and their condition, analysis to determine their component materials, and research into the most appropriate methods for their conservation.

The conservation work includes cleaning of all interior walls to remove soiling and biological growth; the application of a wood preservative and consolidant to areas of wood decay; and the reattachment of flaking paint where pencil writing on the top paint layer occurs. Other work includes weatherproofing, and the installation of an ultraviolet barrier film at the window panes.

For more information on the Immigration Station, visit www.angelisland.org or www.aiisf.org.