Ellis Island History
Overview: Ellis Island is a small island in Upper New York Bay and, although in New Jersey waters, it is under the political jurisdiction of New York. It was a major immigration station for the United States from 1892 to 1943 and an immigrant detention station until 1954. Since 1965, it has been part of the Statue of Liberty National Monument.
Early History: The island was named for Samuel Ellis, who owned the island in the 1770s. It was purchased by the federal government from New York State in 1808 and was used as a fort. After the creation of the Immigration Bureau (1891), the immigration station was moved from Castle Garden (at Battery Park, Manhattan) to Ellis Island.
Immigrant Processing: At Ellis Island, immigrants were examined and either admitted or deported; at the height of its activity, the Ellis Island station could process 1 million people a year. The majority of new immigrants were, of course, from Europe, hoping to find a new start in America. Tourism: The Great Hall, where immigrants were processed, was renovated as part of part of the 1986 Statue of Liberty centennial celebration. The entire Main Building, which includes the Great Hall, has been restored; the Ellis Island Immigration Museum there opened to the public in 1990.
Summary: Ellis Island has been one of America's more important landmarks for many years. Millions of Americans have made the United States the most multicultural nation in the world, and from the time Ellis Island opened in upper New York Harbor near the Statue of Liberty in 1892 to the time it closed in 1954, it served as the portal for the vast majority of new immigrants.
For information on a wonderful set of books that explores the "Ellis Island Experience" of European American ethnic groups click here. The series, which is entitled the Reference Library of European America, is a perfect fit for any home, school or library collection.