My name is Karolina Butovic. It was 1902 and my husband and I were leaving Croatia in hopes of finding new jobs for a better life. Leaving my family was difficult, as we were all very close. I was a newlywed with no children so our families decided we were the best option to a fresh start.

1902

The journey there was harder than we expected. We got little food, but my husband would give me some of his rations when I would get seasick. The trip was long and brutal. I'd never wish to do it again. We were so exhausted upon our arrival to Ellis Island.

Arriving at Ellis Island was terrifying. There were so many different types of people from all around the world. Workers were trying to move us through for what seemed like forever. After hours of waiting and going through tests, we were finally asked our names and where we would reside. It was then that my name was forever changed from Karolina Butovic to Caroline Butkovich.

After getting through Ellis Island, we arrived in New York. The buildings make us feel like ants. This was nothing like home. Workers surrounded every corner and I had never seen as many people in one place. In that moment I'd realized my old life was forever gone, and we had nothing but each other for the rest of our lives.

Although we were exhausted after being on a ship for two weeks, our journey wasn't over when we arrived in New York. We took a long train ride west to Michigan, where we arrived at our mine town. Many other immigrants had traveled west to find work as well.

When we arrived, the town looked nothing like our villages back in Croatia. Small houses surrounded the minds and almost every family depended on mining work to survive here. My husband began working in the mines immediately, spending long hours underground every day. 

The work was physically exhausting and dangerous for my husband, but it provided a steady wage for our family. Eventually, we were stable enough to have children whom I cared for while my husband was working. Like many immigrant families I also helped by sewing to bring in extra money.

Life in America brought many challenges. Wages were low, mining hours were long, and many families struggled to make ends meet. Thankfully, my husband had lots of experience in the mines which helped our family have a quicker raise in pay. Although we were fortunate, we were still challenged with a new language to take on and were faced discrimination because of our foreign backgrounds.

Even with the hardships, our community supported each other. Churches, neighbors and other immigrant families helps us adjust to life in America. They shared traditions and hard work and we slowly built a sense of belonging in the great land of America.

It had now been 15 years since we arrived in Michigan. At first, everything felt new and uncertain, but now our family felt settled and connected to America. Our town and family has grown and developed drastically since new families moved to find work.

1917