Ellis Island

Ellis Island and Manhattan as seen from New Jersey shore 2020-06-29

Ellis Island 1890 - 1935 NPS map

Ellis Island Bridge south jeh

Ellis island air photo

(King1893NYC) pg087 ELLIS-ISLAND IMMIGRANT STATION

Ellis Island is a federally owned island in New York Harbor, within the states of New York and New Jersey. It was the United States' busiest immigrant inspection station from 1892 to 1954. Approximately 12 million immigrants passed through Ellis Island during this period, making it a symbolic landmark and a crucial part of American immigration history.

History

Ellis Island originally served as a place for munitions storage before it was selected as the site for a new federal immigration station to replace the state-run Castle Garden Immigration Depot, which had operated out of the Battery in lower Manhattan since 1855. The need for a new immigration facility was due to the increasing numbers of immigrants arriving in the United States and the federal government's decision to take over immigration control from individual states.

The first station opened on January 1, 1892, but was destroyed by fire in 1897. The current structure, designed in the French Renaissance Revival style, was completed and reopened in 1900. The facility was expanded with landfill, reaching its current size of 27.5 acres by 1906.

During its peak years, from the early 1900s to the 1920s, Ellis Island processed thousands of immigrants daily. Staff at the facility included medical personnel who conducted health inspections, as well as legal inspectors who interviewed immigrants to determine their eligibility for entry into the United States.

Facilities and Processing

Immigrants arriving at Ellis Island underwent a series of medical and legal inspections. The medical examination was designed to identify those with contagious diseases or illnesses that would make them a public health risk or unable to work. The legal inspection involved verifying the immigrant's identity, ensuring they had the required funds to enter the U.S., and confirming they were not likely to become a public charge.

The Great Hall, also known as the Registry Room, was where immigrants were processed. Those who passed the inspections were allowed to enter the United States, while those who failed were detained for further examination or deported back to their country of origin.

Closure and Legacy

Ellis Island ceased operations as an immigration station in 1954. In the years following its closure, the buildings fell into disrepair until the decision was made to restore the main building. It reopened as the Ellis Island Immigration Museum in 1990, part of the Statue of Liberty National Monument, managed by the National Park Service. Today, the museum serves as a tribute to the millions of immigrants who entered the United States through Ellis Island and to the complex process of immigration itself.

The island is accessible to the public via ferry from Battery Park in New York City and Liberty State Park in Jersey City, New Jersey. Visitors can explore the museum, view the Wall of Honor with the names of immigrants processed at the island, and participate in guided tours that detail the immigrant experience.

In Popular Culture

Ellis Island has been featured in numerous films, books, and television shows, often symbolizing the hopes and challenges faced by immigrants coming to America. It remains an enduring symbol of the nation's history of immigration and the American Dream.

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