Ellis Island

Starting in the late 1800s, America was welcoming immigrants via Ellis Island. "Come on in, immigrants," said Ellis Island - which was the gateway to 2 million immigrants to the United States. 

An immigrant family gets their first look at New York City
standing on Ellis Island

For over 60 years, between 1892 until 1954, Ellis Island was the busiest immigrant inspection station in the U.S. Immigrating to the United States, and coming into Ellis Island was made extra special by the sight of the Statue of Liberty in the harbor. 


Sadly for New Yorkers, in 1998 the US Supreme Court decision found that most of the Ellis Island land is actually in New Jersey.


Ellis Island is now a 27.5-acre historical site located near Manhattan Island, New York. In its history, the island can take credit for welcoming more of the American population through the Port of New York than any other place.  Nearly half of the Americans living in the United States have entered this country by Ellis Island and it is still one of the most popular tourist spots in the United States.  Ellis Island is managed by the US Park Service. 

Statue of Liberty in New York Harbor

In 1965, President Lyndon Johnson declared Ellis Island part of the Statue of Liberty National Monument. Ellis Island was re-opened to the public on a limited basis between 1976 and 1984. 


In 1984, Ellis Island underwent a major restoration, the largest historic restoration in U.S. history. The $160 million project was funded by donations sent to the Statue of Liberty Restoration Fund.  On September 10, 1990, the Main Building was reopened to the public as the Ellis Island Immigration Museum. 

Processing center at Ellis Island before sorting

 On May 20, 2015, the entire story of American immigration was being re-told in the re-named Ellis Island National Museum of Immigration. Today, the museum receives almost 2 million tourists annually.

Newly arrived immigrants await examination at the
Ellis Island between 1907 and 1921

Facts about Ellis Island (Click on picture to enlarge)

Do you know anyone who came to the United States through Ellis Island?  


Here are some links where you can have a little fun searching their names by year of entry.


To search for new arrivals from 1820 to 1891, use this link:

https://www.familysearch.org/search/collection/1849782?collectionNameFilter=false

Search screen for new arrivals (1820-1891)

To search for new arrivals from 1909, then 1925 to 1957, use this link:


https://www.familysearch.org/search/collection/1923888?collectionNameFilter=false

Search screen for new arrivals to Ellis Island 1909, 1925-1957

Try this searchable database:
https://aad.archives.gov/aad/

Database screen sorted by topics

Some history and other Links of interest: This is a little history about Ellis Island


https://graylinenewyork.com/things-nyc/history-ellis-island/

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January 1892 news article 

https://www.libertyellisfoundation.org/annie-moore-article


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History about the Statue of Liberty

https://www.libertyellisfoundation.org/about-the-statue-of-liberty



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