Ellis Island:
A History
Christina Durkee
Ellis Island
1776
• The Island was owned by Samuel Ellis, a
New York merchant.
• Ellis’s heirs sold the island to the State of
New York in 1808 who decided not to
change the name.
1890
• The States turned over immigration to the
Federal Government.
• Congress appropriated $75,000 to build
the first Federal Immigration Station on
Ellis Island
• Landfill was used to double the size of the
island.
1892
• On January 1 the first Ellis Island
Immigration Station opened.
• Annie Moore, 15, was the first immigrant
to be processed on January 2nd.
• 450,000 immigrants were processed in the
first year
Passenger List
• Annie Moore

1897
• On June 15th a fire of unknown origin
destroyed the station which had been
made of Georgia Pine.
• There were no casualties but records
dating from 1855 to the day of the fire
were destroyed.
1900
• The present day Main
Building was opened.
• It cost 1.5 million
dollars to build and
was designed to
process up to 5,000
immigrants a day.
1907
• This was the peak year for immigration
into the US.
• A total of 1,004,756 immigrants were
received.
• April 17 had the highest daily total for the
year at 11,747 being processed.
1916
• Explosions thought to be set by German
saboteurs at Black Toms Wharf in New
Jersey severely damaged the buildings at
Ellis Island.
• The buildings were rebuilt again this time
with the addition of a new barrel vaulted
ceiling over the great hall designed by the
Guastavino Brothers.
• Ellis Island Photo Album
1917
• US entered WWI in Europe.
• Ellis Island was used to detain crews from
German merchant ships that were
anchored in NY Harbor.
• Suspected enemy aliens were rounded up
and brought to Ellis Island to be held.
1918-1919
• US Army and Navy took over the island to
use as a way station and treatment center
for returning sick and wounded Americans
from the war.
• There was a sharp decline in immigration
from 178,416 in 1915 to 28,867 in 1918.
1920 to Present
• Although there was a resurgence in
immigration following the war, the
Immigration Act of 1924 did much to stem
the tide of immigrants.
• The island was mainly used in the
following years as a Coast Guard Station
and then a detention center during the
cold war.
1920 to Present continued
• In 1976 Ellis Island was opened to the
public.
• In 1984 the island underwent an extensive
renovation and became a major tourist
attraction.
Immigration Museum
• In December of 1990 the Ellis Island Immigration
Museum was opened and has received over 20
million visitors to date.
• Map of Ellis
Island interior
References
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www.EllisIsland.org
www.EllisIsland.com
www.NPS.gov
www.lowermanhattan.info