Ellis Island Facts

Ellis Island, situated at the mouth of the Hudson River has served as the welcome gate for people immigrating to the USA, from 1892 to 1954. Today, it is in ownership of the Federal government and is part of the Statue of Liberty monument. Its journey from being an immigration station to being a national monument continues to interest many. If you are one of them, you must keep reading. Here is a list of some interesting facts about the Ellis Island.

Ellis Island Facts

Located in the vicinity of New Jersey shore, Ellis Island was originally known as the Gull Island as birds were its only inhabitants. In 1630, it was in possession of the colonial governors, who named it as the Little Oyster Island. The name was derived from the fact that delicious oysters were found in its sands. Later, in the early 18th century, it was called as the Gibbet Island due to the executions of state criminals who were hanged from gibbets on its land. Eventually, around the time of the American Revolution, the ownership of the Ellis Islands passed to Samuel Ellis, who made an unsuccessful attempt of selling the island.

In 1892, the Ellis Island was transformed into an immigrant station. Architects Edward Lippincott Tilton and William Boring designed the immigrant station building. The immigration station opened on January 1, 1892. However, prior to its opening, the state was in-charge of processing the immigrants. Till 1890, the immigrant station was located at Castle Garden. Later, it was moved to a barge office in Manhattan, until the establishment of an immigration center at the Ellis Island.

Ellis Island has witnessed thousands of immigrants pass through its gates. A record number of 11,747 immigrants came through the Ellis Island on a single day in 1907. In a period of around 62 years, 12 million immigrants were welcomed at the Ellis Island immigrant gateway.

Who could have been the first immigrant to pass through the Ellis Island? It was Annie Moore, a 15-year-old girl from Ireland. She was welcomed with a $10 gold piece. The last immigrant to pass through the gates of Ellis Island was Arne Peterssen, a merchant seaman from Norway. Actresses like Pola Negri and Claudette Colbert, comedians like Bob Hope and Karl Dane and Arthur Murray, a legendary figure in the field of dance, were some of the notable names in the list of immigrants associated with the Ellis Island.

The officials processing immigrations at the Ellis Island were pretty strict in preventing inadmissible immigrants from entering the country. Those with severe health problems were sent back to their native country or were hospitalized in the island before they were fit to be accepted in. The immigrants were thoroughly scrutinized before they could be admitted in the country. They had to answer about 29 questions and spend about 2-5 hours at the Ellis Island immigrant station. Many were refused admission on grounds of having a contagious disease or a criminal record. The lengthy immigration process disheartened about 2% of the immigrants who were denied entry in the US. For this reason, the Ellis Island came to be known as the 'Land of Tears' or the 'Heartbreak Island'.

The immigrants staying at the station in Ellis Island had to sleep in bunk beds that were placed in a huge hall. The dining room of the facility was capable of housing around 1000 people simultaneously. The most impressive room of the building was the registry room, which measured 200x100 feet and had a vaulted ceiling. However, the architecture of the building was criticized by architects like Robert Nielson and John Parker. They predicted that the building would not last for more than 10 years. Their prediction came true when the immigrant station was destroyed by a kitchen fire that broke out on June 15, 1897. Following the building's reconstruction, Ellis Island reopened on December 19, 1900.

With passing time, the immigration process underwent changes. The numbers of immigrants passing through the immigrant station at the Ellis Island varied along the passing years. Harsh legislative rules caused the number of immigrants to decrease. Following one such change in the immigration laws and policies, the Ellis Island had to be closed down. All attempts to redevelop the immigration center failed, and November 12, 1954 turned out being its last day as an entry facility for immigrants coming to the United States.

Today, the Ellis Island is a part of the Statue of Liberty National Monument. It houses a museum that can be reached from the Liberty State Park in Jersey City and from Manhattan in New York City. Ellis Island and Liberty State Park are connected by means of a bridge, which is closed for the public.

Ellis Island, no longer a welcome gateway for immigrants, is valued as a historic site. It commemorates the immigration of millions into the US. Perhaps, it still remembers the dreams and aspirations in the eyes of all those who migrated to the country, to start a new life.