U.S. Animal Quarantine Station

{{Infobox NRHP

| name = United States Animal Quarantine Station

| nrhp_type =

| image = US Animal Quarantine Station Clifton.jpg

| caption = Former barns, now the Clifton Arts Center

| location = Clifton Avenue, Clifton, New Jersey

| coordinates = {{coord|40|52|5|N|74|9|43|W|display=inline,title}}

| locmapin = USA New Jersey Passaic County#New Jersey#USA

| built = 1900–1907

| architect =

| architecture = Colonial Revival

| added = October 9, 1981

| area = {{convert|26|acre}}

| refnum = 81000397{{NRISref|version=2013a|refnum=81000397}}

| designated_other1_name = New Jersey Register of Historic Places

| designated_other1_abbr = NJRHP

| designated_other1_link = New Jersey Register of Historic Places

| designated_other1_date = August 7, 1981

| designated_other1_number = 2331{{cite web |title=New Jersey and National Registers of Historic Places – Passaic County |url=https://www.nj.gov/dep/hpo/1identify/nrsr_lists/PASSAIC.pdf#page=2 |publisher=New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection - Historic Preservation Office |page=2 |date=March 30, 2023 |quote=listed as the United States Animal Quarantine Station }}

| designated_other1_num_position = bottom

| designated_other1_color = #ffc94b

}}

The United States Animal Quarantine Station, sometimes referred to the as Athenia Quarantine Station, is located in the city of Clifton in Passaic County, New Jersey, United States, constructed in 1900, and coloquially called the Ellis Island for Animals. {{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1975/08/09/archives/us-animal-center-to-move-from-clifton.html|title = U. S. Animal Center to Move from Clifton|newspaper = The New York Times|date = August 9, 1975|last1 = Prial|first1 = Frank J.}} The complex, closed in 1975, was added to the National Register of Historic Places on October 9, 1981, for its significance to agriculture.{{cite web|url={{NRHP url|id=81000397}}|title=National Register of Historic Places Inventory/Nomination: U.S. Animal Quarantine Station |publisher=National Park Service|first1=Terry |last1=Karschner |date=January 1981 }} With {{NRHP url|id=81000397|photos=y|title=accompanying 34 photos}} Part of the site is now the Clifton Municipal Complex. Two of the buildings were renovated and turned into the Clifton Arts Center Gallery and Studio. An atrium was built to connect the two buildings.{{cite web|title=Clifton Arts Center|url=http://www.passaiccountynj.org/HistoricalAttractions/CliftonArtsCenter/index.php|publisher=Passaic County Historical Attractions|access-date=March 2, 2011}} It is considered to be threatened site.{{Cite web|url=https://expo.nj.com/news/g66l-2019/05/a5690c3be69212/even-the-wildwoods-are-at-risk-here-are-njs-10-most-endangered-historic-sites-for-2019.html|title=Even the Wildwoods are at risk. Here are N.J.'s 10 most endangered, historic sites for 2019|date=May 18, 2019}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.preservationnj.org/listings/us-animal-quarantine-station/|title=United States Animal Quarantine Station – Preservation New Jersey}}

History and description

The station originally contained 27 buildings built between 1900 and 1907 on a {{convert|49|acre|adj=on}} property. It operated from 1900 to 1979 to receive and isolate foreign animals entering the country. There were 14 brick barns at the site. In 1966, the property was sold to the city. In 2000, the Clifton Arts Center, founded by Gloria J. Kolodziej, opened here using two of the brick barns.{{cite web |title=History & Founding of the Arts Center |url=https://cliftonartscenter.org/history |publisher=Clifton Arts Center}}

In October of 1938, it was widely reported nationwide that two three-year old giraffes, later named Patches and Lofty, were kept for 14 days at the Athenia Quarantine Station,

{{cite web

|title = Balky Giraffes Finally On Their Way

|newspaper = The Herald News, Passaic NJ

|author =

|date = October 12, 1938

|url = https://www.newspapers.com/image/525841795/?match=1&terms=giraffes%20san%20diego%20truck}} after 54 days under transport from British East Africa via freighter, caught in the Hurricane of 1938, before 14 days cross-country via the nascent Lee Highway on a specially customized truck to the San Diego Zoo, at the time the Zoological Society of San Diego, under the direction of Belle Benchley.{{cite web

|title = Giraffes at Home After Long Journey

|newspaper = Oakland Tribune

|author =

|date = October 27, 1938

|url = https://www.newspapers.com/image/135961599/?match=1&terms=giraffes%20san%20diego%20truck}} The quarantine station and the giraffes featured prominently in the 2019 novel West With Giraffes.

References

External links

{{Commons category-inline}}
{{cite web |title=Clifton Arts Center & Sculpture Park |url=https://cliftonartscenter.org/ |publisher=Clifton Arts Center}}

U.S. Animal Quarantine Station

History and description

See also

References

External links