DAR and the Ellis Island
Immigration Station
125 Years of Service to Immigrant Families
T
his year DAR shares its 125th birthday with
another important American institution:
Ellis Island.
In the 35 years before Ellis Island opened,
immigrants arriving in New York were proLeft: President General
cessed at Castle Garden Immigration Depot in
Ann Fleck, right, toured
Ellis Island on February 17,
Lower Manhattan. Ellis Island was chosen in 1890 by the House
1988, during the restoration.
Committee on Immigration as the site of the new Immigration
Above: The Great Hall as
Station for the Port of New York. Before the federal government
it appeared during Mrs.
stepped in and took over the immigration process on April 18,
Fleck’s tour.
1890, each state managed its own immigration records, with
varying degrees of organization and diligence. The federal takeover made records much more centralized—and ultimately,
lacked proper documentation or because they were suffering
easier for genealogists to search.
from contagious diseases. DAR chapters from across the counCongress appropriated $75,000 to construct the first Ellis
try regularly sent practical donations to aid in these families’
Island Inspection Station, which officially opened on January 1,
comfort. At the Detention Building, DAR members passed out
1892. The site quickly became what was likely America’s busiest
clothing, food, books, yarn, sewing materials and other items to
immigration station, processing more than 12 million immigrants detainees through a window that was later dubbed the “Window
by the time the station closed in 1954. In 1907 the station proof Hope.” Immigrants were said to see a DAR member and call
cessed 1,004,756 immigrants; its busiest day was April 17, 1907,
out, “Here comes the Revolutionary lady.”
when 11,747 immigrants were processed.
DAR members also provided occuToday, 40 percent of Americans can trace
pational therapy via hands-on lessons
their ancestry through Ellis Island.
in needlecraft, sewing, crocheting and
DAR members remain active in
For the vast majority of immigrants,
more, helping detainees pass the time
celebrating Ellis Island and all that it has
Ellis Island truly was an “Island of Hope,” meant to this nation of immigrants. Here
as well as make necessary items for
the first stop on their way to new opportheir families. During the war years,
are some ideas for ways to commemorate
tunities and experiences in America. For
when immigration was halted, the DAR
the 125th anniversary.
the rest, it became the “Island of Tears,” a
remained at Ellis Island to serve the
• Examine your chapter’s history
place where families were separated and
returning wounded and disabled serviceor minutes from the 1920s, 1930s and
individuals were denied entry.
men temporarily stationed there.
1940s to determine if your chapter sent
DAR and other service organizations
In 1988 DAR established the Ellis
volunteers to work with the detained
helped immigrants acclimate to their
Island Restoration Committee, the purimmigrants, or sent contributions or
new home, generously donating money,
pose of which was to raise donations for
supplies to be used at the site. Present
time and expertise. From 1921 to 1954,
the restoration of Ellis Island and promote
those findings and any historical photos or
the DAR distributed millions of copies of
the project among DAR members and
documents at an upcoming meeting.
its Manual for Citizenship, in various lanthe public. The DAR encouraged mem• Ask chapter members if they have
ancestors who passed through Ellis Island,
guages, to immigrants at Ellis Island as
bers to place an ancestor’s name on the
and invite them to speak about those
they passed through the Railroad Room.
American Immigrant Wall of Honor,
ancestors’ experiences.
Many immigrants used the Manual to
and it also sponsored a room called the
• Start a program to assist immigrants
learn English and to become familiar
New Americans Gallery in the Ellis Island
with the naturalization process, whether
with the requirements for citizenship.
Immigration Museum. The organization’s
with English as a Second Language classes
On average, the inspection process
efforts raised $750,000 toward the restoor civics education courses.
took approximately three to seven hours,
ration and refurbishment of the site.
• Watch newly digitized NSDAR
but some families spent weeks or months
—By Carol Felson, Commemorative Events
Archives
videos
related
to
Ellis
Island
at
at Ellis Island waiting for clearance to
Committee National Vice Chair, 125th
www.dar.org/ellisislandvideos.
enter the country, often because they
Anniversary of Ellis Island
ALL IMAGES COURTESY OF NSDAR ARCHIVES
Honoring the Station
American Spirit | January/February 2015 7