Historic Julia Morgan cottages on Angel Island to be rebuilt

Bungalow cottages at the Angel Island Immigration Station designed by renowned architect Julia Morgan, as seen in the 1960s, were burned down in a fire-training exercise a decade later, but two will be rebuilt using a state grant. (via California State Parks)

In 1971, firefighters deliberately torched 12 small cottages at the Angel Island Immigration Station as part of a training exercise. No one seemed to care that the cottages had been designed by renowned California architect Julia Morgan. The cottages burned to the ground with only their cement foundations remaining.

Now Angel Island Immigration Station Foundation officials have secured a $1-million state grant to rebuild two of the free-standing cottages using Morgan’s surviving drawings.

“Julia Morgan is someone with a lot of name recognition here in California,” foundation Executive Director Ed Tepporn said. “People travel all over the state to visit Julia Morgan sites. We hope that this will bring back another chapter in history and connect the immigration station to a new audience.”

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