Ellis Island facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Ellis Island
Aerial view of Ellis Island
Location	Upper New York Bay Jersey City, New Jersey and New York City, New York United States
Area	27.5 acres (11.1 ha)
Elevation	7 ft (2.1 m)
Built	1900 (Main Building) 1911 (Hospital)
Architect	William Alciphron Boring Edward Lippincott Tilton James Knox Taylor
Architectural style(s)	Renaissance Revival
Governing body	National Park Service
U.S. National Monument
Official name: Statue of Liberty National Monument
Designated	May 11, 1965
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
Official name: Statue of Liberty National Monument, Ellis Island and Liberty Island
Designated	October 15, 1966
Reference no.	66000058
New Jersey Register of Historic Places
Official name: Statue of Liberty National Monument, Ellis Island and Liberty Island
Designated	May 27, 1971
Reference no.	1535
New York City Landmark
Type	District/Individual Interior
Designated	November 16, 1993
Reference no.	1902 (district), 1903 (main building interior)
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Ellis Island is a small island in New York Harbor. It is located between the states of New Jersey and New York. For many years, it was the busiest place where immigrants entered the United States. From 1892 to 1954, almost 12 million people arriving in New York were processed here.

The island became part of the Statue of Liberty National Monument in 1965. Today, you can only reach it by ferry. The northern part of the island is now a national museum about immigration. The southern part, which includes the old hospital, can only be visited with a guided tour.

The island is named after Samuel Ellis, who bought it in 1774. In the 1800s, it was a military fort and later a place to store naval supplies. The first immigration station opened in 1892 but burned down in 1897. A new, larger station opened in 1900. After 1924, Ellis Island mainly held people waiting to enter or be sent back. During World War I and World War II, it also held prisoners of war. The station closed in 1954. The main building was later fixed up and opened as a museum in 1990.

The island grew a lot between the 1890s and 1930s. Workers added land to it, making it much larger. At one time, it was three separate islands. New Jersey and New York disagreed about which state owned parts of the island. The U.S. Supreme Court settled this in 1998. The island has also been honored with special awards and historical titles.

Exploring Ellis Island: Location and Access

Ellis Island is found in Upper New York Bay. It is east of Liberty State Park and north of Liberty Island. Most of the island is in Jersey City, New Jersey. However, a small part is actually an exclave of New York City. The island covers about 27.5 acres (11 hectares). Much of this land was created by adding fill to the water.

The original island and nearby natural areas are in New York. The land that was added later is part of New Jersey. The federal government of the United States has owned Ellis Island since 1808. The National Park Service has managed it since 1965.

How Ellis Island Grew: Land Expansion

Long ago, the western shore of New York Bay had many mudflats. These areas were full of oyster beds. These oysters were a main food source for the Lenape people. Ellis Island was one of three "Oyster Islands." The other two were Liberty Island and Black Tom Island.

In the late 1800s, the government started making Ellis Island bigger. They needed more space for the immigration station. This expansion continued until 1934. The new land came from ship ballast and dirt from the New York City Subway tunnels. It also came from railyards in New Jersey. This new land covered the oyster beds and brought the shore closer to the islands.

Today, Ellis Island looks like a "C" shape. It has two land areas of similar size. These are on the northeast and southwest sides. A former ferry pier separates them. The north side was once called island 1. It includes the original island and the land added around it. The south side was made from island 2 (created in 1899) and island 3 (created in 1906). Two ferry docks used to separate these three parts.

Workers used wood piles and frames to hold the new land in place. Later, they built a concrete and granite sea wall. In the 1920s, the space between islands 2 and 3 was filled in. This created a large lawn on the south side of Ellis Island. A new sea wall was built to connect these parts.

Who Owns What: State Border Dispute

The unusual border, where part of New York is inside New Jersey, started long ago. It began after the British took over New Netherland in 1664. A land grant said New Jersey would be "westward of Long Island, and Manhitas Island." It was also bounded by the sea and the Hudson River.

In 1804, people tried to figure out the state line. New York City claimed control over all the water. This was challenged in a famous court case, Gibbons v. Ogden. The court decided that the federal government controlled trade between states. This affected steam ferry services in New York Harbor. In 1834, New Jersey and New York made an agreement. They set the border in the middle of the Hudson River and New York Harbor. However, New York kept "exclusive jurisdiction" over the waters west of Manhattan. This included the land under those waters up to New Jersey's low-water mark.

New Jersey argued that the new, artificial parts of the island were theirs. This was because they were outside New York's original border. In 1956, after the immigration station closed, the Mayor of Jersey City even tried to claim the island.

The border arguments came up again in the 1980s and 1990s. This happened during plans to fix up Ellis Island. New Jersey sued New York in 1997. The Supreme Court decided in New Jersey v. New York in 1998. The border was redrawn using modern mapping data. It was decided that 22.80 acres of the added land belong to New Jersey. The original 4.68 acres, including the main building, belong to New York. This caused some confusion, as some buildings were on the border. The ruling did not change the status of Liberty Island.

Even though the island is federally owned, New Jersey and New York share control over the land. Neither state is responsible for fixing or maintaining the historic buildings. Each state has control over its own land areas.

Visiting Ellis Island: Public Access

There are two ferry docks on the northern side of Ellis Island. There is no charge to enter the Statue of Liberty National Monument. However, you must pay for the ferry ride. Since 2007, Statue Cruises has operated the ferry service. The ferries leave from Liberty State Park in Jersey City and the Battery in Lower Manhattan. The National Park Service also offers guided "Hard Hat Tours" of the south side.

A bridge to Liberty State Park was built in 1986. It was used to transport materials and workers during the island's restoration. It was supposed to be taken down in 1992 but remained. This bridge is not open to the public. New York City and the ferry company have opposed opening it for walking. A plan for a pedestrian bridge to New Jersey was rejected in 1995. The current bridge is not strong enough for permanent public use.

The Story of Ellis Island

Early Days: Precolonial and Colonial Use

Ellis Island was formed about 15,000 years ago by melting glaciers. It was a small hill in front of the Hudson River. When the glaciers melted, water surrounded it. The native Mohegan people called the island "Kioshk," meaning "Gull Island." This was because many seagulls lived there. Kioshk was mostly marshy land that went underwater at high tide. Native American tribes likely used it for hunting fish and oysters. They probably did not live there permanently because of the high tides.

In 1630, the Dutch bought Kioshk. They gave it to Michael Reyniersz Pauw, who helped start New Netherland. The Dutch named the three islands in Upper New York Bay "Oyster Islands." This was because of the many oysters nearby. Ellis Island was called "Little Oyster Island." This name was used until the early 1700s. Little Oyster Island was sold many times. It became a popular place for oyster roasts and picnics.

By the 1760s, pirates were sometimes executed on Little Oyster Island. There was a special "Gibbet Tree" for this. However, there is not much proof this happened often. Samuel Ellis, a merchant from Wales, bought the island in 1774. The island was named after him. He tried to sell it nine years later but failed. When Ellis died in 1794, the island went to his family.

Military History: Fort Gibson

Ellis Island was used by the military for almost 80 years. In the 1790s, the U.S. planned defenses for New York Harbor. This was due to tensions with Britain and France. In 1794, the city gave part of Ellis Island to the state for defense. The next year, money was set aside for forts on Ellis, Bedloe's (Liberty), and Governors Islands. Batteries and magazines (places to store ammunition) were built on Ellis Island. A jetty was also added. The war threat passed, and by 1805, the fort was falling apart.

Samuel Ellis's grandsons sold the island to the federal government in 1808 for $10,000. Lieutenant Colonel Jonathan Williams planned new defenses for New York Harbor. A circular stone battery with 14 guns was built. There was also a mortar battery, a magazine, and barracks. The fort was first called Crown Fort. After the War of 1812, it was named Fort Gibson. This honored Colonel James Gibson, who died in the war. The fort was not used in battle. It served as barracks for soldiers and a jail for British prisoners.

After the War of 1812, Fort Gibson was mainly a recruiting center. It fell into disuse. By the mid-1830s, both the U.S. Army and Navy managed it. In 1834, Ellis Island was declared a part of New York within New Jersey's waters. The Army took over the fort in 1841. It was downgraded to an artillery battery. By 1854, Battery Gibson had 11 guns, three naval magazines, and other buildings. The Army left the fort in 1860.

During the American Civil War in 1861, the artillery magazine was expanded. After the Civil War, the fort again fell apart. By the 1870s, the Navy built more buildings for its artillery magazine. People started complaining about the magazines. In 1881, the guns were removed. The island then came under the full control of the Navy.

The First Immigration Station (1892-1897)

The Army tried to use Ellis Island for sick immigrants in 1847. Across New York Harbor, Castle Clinton had been an immigration station since 1855. It processed over eight million immigrants. The federal government thought Castle Clinton was poorly managed. They wanted to replace it. In 1890, the government took control of immigration. They looked for the best place for a new station. Ellis Island was chosen.

On April 11, 1890, the government ordered the magazine on Ellis Island to be torn down. This made way for the first federal immigration station. The Treasury Department took control of the island on May 24. Congress first gave $75,000 for construction, then doubled it. While building, immigrants were processed at the Barge Office in Manhattan. Most old Fort Gibson buildings were torn down. Ellis Island almost doubled in size to 6 acres (2.4 hectares).

The main building was a two-story wooden structure. It was 400 by 150 feet (122 by 46 meters). Other buildings included a hospital, detention center, laundry, and utility plant. All were made of wood. Some old stone magazine structures were reused. A ferry slip was built south of the island. By late 1892, the island was 11 acres (4.5 hectares).

The station opened on January 1, 1892. The first immigrant was Annie Moore, a 17-year-old girl from Ireland. She traveled with her brothers to meet their parents. On the first day, almost 700 immigrants arrived. Over the next year, over 400,000 immigrants were processed. The process included medical and mental checks. About 1% of immigrants were sent back. By 1896, Ellis Island grew to 14 acres (5.7 hectares).

On June 15, 1897, the wooden buildings on Ellis Island burned down. The cause is unknown. No one died, but all immigration records from 1855 were destroyed. In five years, the station had processed 1.5 million immigrants.

The Second Immigration Station (1900-1954)

Building the New Station

After the fire, immigrants were again processed at the Barge Office. It quickly became too crowded. Within three days, the government planned a new, fireproof station. Congress approved rebuilding on June 30, 1897. By September, the Treasury Department held a competition for architects. The rules said the new station needed a main building with additions and a hospital. All buildings had to be fireproof. They also had to handle 1,000 immigrants daily, and up to 4,000 at peak times.

Edward Lippincott Tilton and William A. Boring won the competition. Their plan included four new buildings. These were a main building in the French Renaissance style, a kitchen/laundry building, a powerhouse, and a main hospital building. They also planned a new island, island 2, for the hospital. This island would be south of the existing one. Construction started in August 1898. It faced delays. A separate contract for island 2 was approved in December 1898. The total cost was $1.5 million.

Early Growth and Changes

The new immigration station opened on December 17, 1900. No ceremony was held. On that day, 2,251 immigrants were processed. Soon after, improvements began. These included an entrance canopy and a baggage conveyor. The kitchen/laundry and powerhouse were finished by late 1901. A ferry house was also built around 1901. The hospital was not finished until November 1901 due to delays.

The facilities were barely enough for the many immigrants. By 1903, immigrants sometimes waited days on their ships. Several wooden buildings were added by 1903, including a 700-bed barracks. The hospital expanded from 125 to 250 beds in 1907. A new ward for mental health issues opened the same year. An administration building was also built next to the hospital.

Immigration commissioner William Williams made big changes. During his time (1902-1905 and 1909-1913), Ellis Island processed the most immigrants. Williams also improved the island's look, adding plants and paths. Under his watch, a 4.75-acre (1.92-hectare) third island was built. This was for a contagious-diseases ward. It was separated by 200 feet (61 meters) of water. The government bought the underwater area for island 3 from New Jersey in 1904. By 1906, Ellis Island covered 20.25 acres (8.19 hectares).

A baggage and dormitory building was finished around 1908–1909. The main hospital was expanded in 1909. Still, there was not enough space for all the immigrants. In 1911, Williams said Congress gave too little money for improvements.

More improvements were made in the early 1910s. A greenhouse was built in 1910. The contagious-diseases ward on island 3 opened in June 1911. The incinerator was replaced in 1911. A recreation center opened on island 2 by 1915. When the Black Tom explosion happened in 1916, the complex was damaged. The main building's roof collapsed. It was replaced with a Guastavino-tiled arched ceiling by 1918.

The immigration station closed temporarily during World War I (1917–1919). It was used as a jail for suspected enemy soldiers. Later, it treated wounded American soldiers. Immigration processing dropped by 97% during the war.

Ellis Island reopened in 1920. Processing quickly rose to 560,000 immigrants per year by 1921. But there were still complaints about the facilities. Aid for improvements was slow. Initial work was limited to small projects, like filling the basin between islands 2 and 3. President Calvin Coolidge supported improvements in 1924. But money was not received until the late 1920s.

Becoming a Detention Center

The Emergency Quota Act of 1921 greatly reduced the number of immigrants allowed into the U.S. This ended the time of mass immigration. After the Immigration Act of 1924, strict immigration limits were set. Ellis Island changed from a main inspection center to a place for holding immigrants. It only held those who were to be detained or sent back. Final inspections now happened on ships in New York Harbor. The Wall Street Crash of 1929 further reduced immigration. The hospital closed in 1930 due to fewer patients.

Edward Corsi, an immigrant himself, became Ellis Island commissioner in 1931. He started an improvement program. Early improvements focused on things like sewage and power. In 1933, a federal committee looked at what needed fixing. Their report in 1934 suggested new buildings and a new seawall. These projects were done with government funding and labor. They finished by the late 1930s. However, the new immigration building was not used much.

With World War II starting in 1939, Ellis Island was again used by the military. It became a United States Coast Guard base. Like in World War I, it held enemy soldiers and immigrants. The hospital treated injured American soldiers. By 1943, Ellis Island was used only for holding people.

By 1947, there were talks of closing Ellis Island. It was very expensive to maintain for a small detention center. The hospital closed in 1950–1951. By the early 1950s, only 30 to 40 people were left on the island. Ellis Island closed on November 12, 1954. The last person to leave was Arne Pettersen, a Norwegian sailor. He was arrested for staying too long after his shore leave. The government saved $900,000 a year by closing the island. The ferryboat Ellis Island stopped running two weeks later.

After Closure: Redevelopment and Reopening

After closing, the buildings fell apart. The General Services Administration (GSA) took over in 1955. The GSA wanted to sell the island. They thought about selling it back to New York City or to a private buyer. In 1959, a developer tried to buy it to build a $55 million resort. This plan failed. Other ideas, like a college or a retirement home, also failed. In 1963, Jersey City voted to allow residential, museum, or recreational use. But they banned "Coney Island"-style amusement parks.

In June 1964, the National Park Service suggested making Ellis Island a national monument. This idea was approved in October 1964. Ellis Island became part of the Statue of Liberty National Monument on May 11, 1965. President Lyndon B. Johnson approved making the island a museum and park.

The first plan for Ellis Island was to build a large monument. It would replace buildings on the northwest side. The main building and hospital would be saved. But no money was given, except for $250,000 for emergency repairs in 1967. By the late 1960s, the buildings were in very bad shape. The plan was never carried out due to public opposition and lack of money. Another plan in 1968 suggested fixing the north side and tearing down all buildings on the south side. This work also stopped due to lack of funding.

Restoring the North Side

In the 1970s, the National Park Service began restoring the island. They fixed seawalls and built a new ferry dock. A committee also started raising money for repairs. The north side, with the main building, was fixed up. It partially reopened for tours in May 1976. The utility plant was left unrepaired to show how much damage there was. Visits were limited to 130 people per boat. More repairs were stopped by lack of money. By 1982, the NPS looked for private funds.

In May 1982, President Ronald Reagan formed a commission. It was led by Chrysler chair Lee Iacocca. Their goal was to raise money for the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. The plan for Ellis Island was to cost $128 million. By 1984, about $40 million was raised. The group eventually raised over $350 million for both sites. Initial plans included fixing the main building, baggage and dormitory building, and the hospital. Public tours stopped in 1984, and work began the next year. The powerhouse was renovated. The incinerator, greenhouse, and water towers were removed. The kitchen/laundry and baggage/dormitory buildings were restored. The main building was restored to its 1918–1924 look.

The main building opened as a museum on September 10, 1990. More improvements followed. The Wall of Honor, a monument to raise money, was finished in 1990. It was rebuilt starting in 1993. A research center with an online database, the American Family Immigration History Center, opened in April 2001. The ferry building was restored for $6.4 million and reopened in 2007. The north side closed temporarily after Hurricane Sandy in October 2012. It reopened exactly a year later after major repairs.

In March 2020, the island closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It reopened in August 2020 with limited visitors. A $100 million renovation of the museum began in early 2024. It includes new exhibition space. The NPS also plans to spend $17.7 million on museum buildings. A nonprofit group, Save Ellis Island, works to preserve the hospital buildings on the south side. By 2023, they had raised $70 million for these buildings.

Buildings and Structures

The current buildings were designed by Edward Lippincott Tilton and William A. Boring. They worked under James Knox Taylor. Their plan from 1898 included buildings on both the northern and southern parts of Ellis Island. It called for a large main building, a powerhouse, and a new kitchen/laundry building on the north side. A hospital was planned for the south side. A ferry dock with covered walkways was also part of the plan. What was built closely followed this design.

North Side Buildings

The northern half of Ellis Island was once called island 1. Only the areas of the original island, including much of the main building, are in New York. The rest is in New Jersey.

The Main Building

The main building has three stories and is in the French Renaissance style. It has a steel frame and a red brick exterior. It is decorated with limestone. The building is 8 feet (2.4 meters) above the water to prevent flooding. It first had a three-story center and two-story wings. The wings got their third stories in the early 1910s. The corners of the central section have four towers with copper domes.

The original design had about 160 rooms for different uses. The first floor was for baggage, detention, offices, and waiting rooms. The second floor was for primary inspections. The third floor had dormitories. But these spaces were often used for many different things. When it opened, the main building could inspect 5,000 immigrants daily. The building's design was highly praised. It won a gold medal at the 1900 Paris Exposition.

The first floor's west wing had detention rooms and offices. This use stayed mostly the same. The central area was a baggage room until 1907. It was later divided and then rejoined as a records room. The east wing had a railroad waiting room and medical offices. Much of it later became record rooms. A railroad ticket office was added to the north side of the first floor in 1905–1906. The south side of the first floor is now the museum's main entrance. It has a sloped walkway covered by a glass canopy. This canopy was added in the 1980s, similar to an older one from 1902 to 1932.

A large registry room is on the second floor. It is 200 by 100 feet (61 by 30 meters) with a 56-foot (17-meter) ceiling. This room was used for primary inspections. Handrails once separated inspection lines, but these were replaced with benches around 1911. A staircase from the first floor used to go into the middle of the room. This was also removed around 1911. When the roof collapsed in 1916, the current arched ceiling was installed. The floor was replaced with red tiles. There are three large arched openings on the north and south walls. These have metal-and-glass grilles. The south side keeps its original double-height arches. The north side arches were changed for the railroad ticket office. Semicircular windows are above the third floor on all four sides. The east wing of the second floor had offices. The west wing had special inquiry and deportation divisions, plus dormitories.

On the third floor is a balcony around the registry room. There were also dormitories for 600 people. Between 1914 and 1918, more rooms were added. These included offices and an assembly room. They were later used for detention.

Parts of Fort Gibson still exist outside the main building. You can see parts of the lower walls.

Kitchen and Laundry Building

The kitchen and laundry building is 2.5 stories tall. It is west of the main building. It has a steel frame and terracotta blocks. It has a granite base and a brick exterior. It was first designed as two separate buildings. In 1899, it was redesigned as one building with kitchen-restaurant and laundry-bathhouse parts. It was finished in 1901. A 1.5-story ice plant was built on the north side between 1903 and 1908. It became a ticket office in 1935. Today, this building holds National Park Service offices. It also has the museum's Peopling of America exhibit.

The building has a central part with a narrow gable roof. It has pavilions on the west and east sides with hip roofs. The larger eastern pavilion had laundry and bathhouse areas. It had hipped dormers. The windows and doors have limestone features. The top of the building has a copper cornice. There used to be a two-story porch on the south side. Covered walkways connect this building to others.

Bakery and Carpentry Shop

The bakery and carpentry shop is a two-story building. It is west of the kitchen and laundry building. It is rectangular and runs north–south. It has a steel frame, a granite base, and a flat roof. It was built in 1914–1915. It replaced older wooden bakery and carpentry shops. There are no outside entrances. You can only enter through the kitchen and laundry building. The first floor had ovens and baking areas. The second floor had the carpentry shop.

Baggage and Dormitory Building

The baggage and dormitory building has three stories. It is north of the main building. It has a steel frame and terracotta blocks. It has a limestone base and a brick exterior. It was finished as a two-story building around 1908–1909. It replaced an older 700-bed wooden barracks. The first floor was for baggage. The second floor had dormitories and detention rooms. The roof had a tiled garden. A third story and a two-story annex were added in 1913–1914. The third floor had more dormitory space. The annex gave detainees outdoor porch space. A dining room for detainees was expanded in 1951.

The building is mostly rectangular. It has a northern annex and an inner courtyard. The first story has rectangular windows in arched openings. The second and third stories have rectangular windows. There are cornices below the second and third stories. The annex has wide window openings. The roof's northwest corner has a one-story extension. Several wings connect this building to others.

Powerhouse

The powerhouse has two stories. It is north of the kitchen and laundry building and west of the baggage and dormitory building. It is rectangular and runs north–south. It was finished in 1901. It has a steel frame, a granite base, and a brick exterior. It has decorative bluestone and limestone. The hip roof has dormers and terracotta tiles. A brick smokestack rises 111 feet (34 meters) from the ground.

The powerhouse used to provide almost all power for Ellis Island. A coal trestle was used to bring coal from 1901 to 1932. Then, it started using fuel oil. The powerhouse also made steam for the island. After the immigration station closed, it fell apart. It was fixed during the 1980s renovation. The powerhouse is no longer used. The island now gets power from cables from Liberty State Park. The powerhouse has pumps that send sewage to Jersey City. A central heating plant was installed in the 1980s.

South Side Buildings

The southern side of Ellis Island is across the ferry basin from the northern side. It is made of island 2 (from 1899) and island 3 (from 1906). The entire south side is in New Jersey. Most of it is taken up by the hospital buildings. A main hallway runs south from the ferry building. Two other hallways split east into islands 2 and 3.

Island 2 Buildings

Island 2 is the northern part of Ellis Island's south side. The buildings here have a similar design. They have a brick exterior, quoins (corner stones), and limestone decorations. All buildings were connected by covered walkways.

The laundry-hospital outbuilding is south of the ferry terminal. It was built in 1900–1901. It is 1.5 stories tall with a hip roof and skylights. It has been repaired many times. It was last fixed in 2002. It had linen, laundry, and disinfecting rooms. It also had a boiler room, a morgue, and staff quarters.

To the east is the psychopathic ward. This two-story building was built in 1906–1907. It is the only hospital building with a flat roof. It used to have a porch. It held 25 to 30 beds. It was for temporary treatment of immigrants with suspected mental health issues. They would stay there before being sent back or to a hospital. Male and female patients were kept separate. Each floor had a dayroom, veranda, nurse's office, and pantry. In 1952, it became a Coast Guard jail.

The main hospital building is east of the psychopathic ward. It has three similar parts. From west to east, they are Hospital Building No. 1 (1900–1901), the Administration Building (1905–1907), and Hospital Building No. 2 (1908–1909). Building No. 1 is 3.5 stories tall. It is shaped like an upside-down "C" with two 2.5-story wings facing south. These wings have two-story porches. The administration building is smaller but also 3.5 stories. Building No. 2 is similar to Building No. 1. It also has a three-story porch on its south side. All three buildings have stone steps at their north entrances. They have courtyards on their south sides.

Recreation Hall

The recreation hall and one of the island's two recreation shelters are between islands 2 and 3. They are on the western side of Ellis Island. They are at the head of the old ferry basin. These buildings were built in 1937 in the Colonial Revival style. They replaced an older recreation building.

The recreation hall is a two-story building. It has a limestone base, a brick exterior, a gable roof, and terracotta decorations. The first floor had recreation facilities. The second floor was mostly for offices. It has wings on the north, south, and west. The recreation shelter is a one-story brick building directly to the east. A second similar shelter was near the power plant on the north side.

Island 3 Buildings

The contagious disease hospital was part of the Ellis Island Immigrant Hospital. It had 17 pavilions. These were connected by a central hallway. Each pavilion had separate hospital functions that could be sealed off. Most buildings were finished in 1911. The pavilions included eight measles wards, three isolation wards, a power house/sterilizer/autopsy theater, a morgue, a laboratory, an administration building, a kitchen, and a staff house. All buildings were designed by James Knox Taylor. They are in the Italian Renaissance style. They have red-tiled Ludowici hip roofs, roughcast stucco walls, and brick and limestone decorations.

The office building and laboratory is a 2.5-story building. It is at the west end of island 3. It had doctors' offices and a dispensary on the first floor. It had a laboratory and pharmacists' quarters on the second floor. In 1924, the first floor offices became male nurses' quarters. A one-story morgue is east of the office building. It became the "Animal House" around 1919.

An L-shaped powerhouse and laundry building was built in 1908. It is also on the west side of island 3. It has a square north wing with boiler, coal, and pump rooms. It has a rectangular south wing with laundry and disinfection rooms, a staff kitchen, and a staff pantry. It also had a yellow-brick smokestack. Part of the building became a morgue and autopsy room in the 1930s.

To the east are the eight measles pavilions (wards A-H). They were built from 1906 to 1909. There are four pavilions on each side of island 3's administration building. All pavilions are identical two-story rectangular buildings. Each floor had a large open ward with big windows. A hall led to the main corridor. It had bathrooms, a nurses' room, offices, and a kitchen.

The administration building is 3.5 stories tall. It is on the north side of island 3's main corridor. It had reception rooms, offices, and a staff kitchen on the first floor. Nurses' quarters and operating rooms were on the second floor. More staff quarters were on the third floor. A one-story kitchen with a smokestack is opposite the administration building.

The eastern end of island 3 had three isolation pavilions (wards I-K) and a staff building. The isolation pavilions were for patients with more serious diseases. These included scarlet fever, diphtheria, and combinations with measles and whooping cough. Each pavilion is a 1.5-story rectangular building. Wards I and K are south of the corridor. Ward J is north. Originally, they were separate buildings. Covered walkways were built in 1914. Each attic also had nurses' quarters. The staff building is at the far east end of island 3's corridor. It is a 2.5-story building for high-ranking hospital staff. It had living rooms, dining rooms, a kitchen, and a library on the first floor. Bedrooms were on the second floor.

Ferry Building

The ferry building is at the western end of the ferry basin, in New Jersey. The current building was built in 1936. It is the third ferry landing at this spot. It has a steel-and-concrete frame. It has a red brick exterior with limestone and terracotta decorations. It is in the Moderne style. The central part of the building is mostly one story tall. It has a two-story central section with a hip roof and dome. Two rectangular wings are to the north and south. The south wing was for U.S. Customs. The north wing had a lunchroom and restrooms. A wooden dock extends east from the building. The ferry building is connected to the kitchen and laundry to the north. It is also connected to the hospital to the south by covered walkways. The building was fully restored in 2007.

Immigration Procedures at Ellis Island

By the time Ellis Island closed, almost 12 million immigrants had been processed. It is thought that 10.5 million immigrants left for other parts of the U.S. from the nearby Central Railroad of New Jersey Terminal. Others used different terminals along the Hudson River. At its closing, it was estimated that closer to 20 million immigrants had passed through Ellis Island.

In the past, immigrants did not need a passport or visa to enter the U.S. Shipping companies were responsible for checks. If someone was denied entry, the company was fined $100 per person and paid for their return. Early immigration policy allowed most people to enter. Only those with certain health issues or moral reasons were excluded. At first, most immigrants came from Northern and Western Europe. The largest groups were from Germany, Russia, Finland, the United Kingdom, and Italy. Later, more immigrants came from Southern and Eastern Europe. These included Jews, Poles, Hungarians, Czechs, Serbs, Slovaks, Greeks, Syrians, Turks, and Armenians. They came to escape hardship, persecution, and violence.

Immigration through Ellis Island was busiest in the early 1900s. Between 1905 and 1914, about one million immigrants arrived yearly. Officials processed about 5,000 immigrants daily during peak times. Two-thirds of these people came from eastern, southern, and central Europe. The busiest year was 1907, with over one million immigrants. The busiest day was April 17, 1907, with 11,747 arrivals. After the Immigration Act of 1924, immigration was greatly reduced. Processing moved overseas. Ellis Island was then only used for people with paperwork problems, displaced persons, and war refugees.

Inspecting Immigrants

Health Checks

Starting in the 1890s, steamship companies did health checks in Europe. More checks and vaccinations happened on the ship. When ships arrived in New York, they stopped at a quarantine station. People with serious contagious diseases were quarantined on other islands. Most ships could not dock at Ellis Island because the water was too shallow. So, ships unloaded in Manhattan first. Then, steerage passengers (those in the cheapest cabins) were taken to Ellis Island for processing. First- and second-class passengers usually did not go through Ellis Island.

The United States Public Health Service ran a large medical service at Ellis Island. Doctors checked immigrants in the main building. Immigrants walked in single-file lines. Inspectors looked for any visible health issues. Two inspectors checked each person. Doctors watched how immigrants walked. Immigrants were asked to drop their bags and walk upstairs.

The inspections at Ellis Island were unique because of the huge number of people. Doctors used special tools to check for eye diseases. After each check, inspectors used chalk to draw symbols on people suspected of being sick. Some immigrants tried to wipe off the chalk marks. Those with chalk marks or suspected mental health issues were sent for more checks.

Main Interview

After passing the health check, immigrants went to the Registry Room. Here, U.S. Immigrant Inspectors interviewed them. They wanted to know if each person could enter the country. Medical certificates were also considered. The Bureau of Immigration had interpreters, watchmen, and clerks. Immigrants spent two to five hours being interviewed. They were asked many questions, like their name, job, and how much money they had. The government wanted to know if new arrivals could support themselves. They generally wanted immigrants to have between $18 and $25. Some immigrants also took reading and writing tests in their native languages. Children under 16 were excused. The decision to admit someone was sometimes up to the individual inspector.

Inspectors used symbols during interviews to decide whether to admit or hold immigrants. For example:

• SI – Special Inquiry (for more questions)
• LPC – Likely to become a Public Charge (meaning they might need public assistance)

Those who passed were given a medical certificate. People with visible illnesses were sent back or held in the hospital. Those admitted often met family and friends at the "Kissing Post." This was a wooden column outside the registry room.

Between 1891 and 1930, Ellis Island reviewed over 25 million immigrants. About 700,000 were found to have health issues. Of these, 79,000 were not allowed to enter. About 4.4% of immigrants between 1909 and 1930 were classified as having health problems. One percent were sent back each year for health reasons. More than 3,000 immigrants died in the island's hospital. Some unskilled workers were rejected if they were "likely to become a public charge." About 2% of immigrants were sent back for this reason. Ellis Island was sometimes called the "Island of Tears" for those sent back. If immigrants were rejected, they could appeal to a three-member board.

Holding and Sending People Back

Ellis Island was first used to hold people during World War I. It held those suspected of being enemy soldiers. During the war, different groups of "enemy aliens" were identified. These included German and Austrian naval officers. About 1,100 German and Austrian sailors were held in Ellis Island's baggage and dormitory building. A large stockade was built for them. A 1917 newspaper article said the conditions were quite good.

After World War I, some Americans felt negative about immigrants. This was especially true for Southern and Eastern Europeans. After the Immigration Act of 1924, main inspections moved to New York Harbor. Ellis Island then only held immigrants who were to be detained or sent back. The Immigration Service created categories of people who could be "deported." This included immigrants who broke earlier laws. It also included Chinese immigrants who violated the 1924 act. People convicted of serious crimes could also be deported.

During and after World War II, Ellis Island held German merchant sailors and "enemy aliens." These were people from Axis nations held because of fears of spying or sabotage. When the U.S. entered the war in December 1941, Ellis Island held 279 Japanese, 248 Germans, and 81 Italians. Unlike other wartime detention centers, Ellis Island was a permanent holding facility. It held foreign nationals throughout the war. A total of 7,000 Germans, Italians, and Japanese were held there.

The Internal Security Act of 1950 stopped members of communist or fascist groups from immigrating. Two famous communists held on Ellis Island were Billy Strachan and Ferdinand Smith. Ellis Island held up to 1,500 people at its peak. But by 1952, only 30 to 40 detainees remained. One of the last was Hasan di Tiro. He was an Indonesian student who declared himself a "foreign minister." He was then held as an "illegal alien."

Influence of Eugenics

When many immigrants came through Ellis Island, the idea of eugenics became popular. This idea greatly affected U.S. immigration. It led to excluding people with disabilities or those considered "morally defective." Eugenicists believed that the state should control human reproduction. They thought this would create a better national race. Some saw it as a patriotic duty.

Eugenic ideas affected immigration in two ways:

• State/Local levels: This involved placing people considered "defective" in institutions. It also included public education, marriage laws, and social contests.
• Immigration control: This meant checking immigrants for "defects." Harry H. Laughlin, a eugenics leader, strongly supported this. He said the federal government must help.

At the time, many believed immigration policies should be based on eugenics. The goal was to create a "superior race" in America. To do this, people with "defects" were screened and denied entry.

During the line inspection, health issues were marked with chalk. Three types of issues were screened:

• Physical: People with inherited or acquired physical disabilities. This included sickness, disease, deformity, missing limbs, or unusual height.
• Mental: People who showed signs or history of mental illness or intellectual disability. This included "feeble-mindedness," "imbecility," depression, epilepsy, and cerebral palsy.
• Moral: People with "moral defects." This included criminals, the poor, and others who did not fit what American society considered normal.

People with moral or mental health issues were a bigger concern. By law, they had to be excluded from the U.S. People with physical disabilities were checked more closely. They could be turned away based on their disability. This was partly due to the eugenic belief that "defects" were inherited. They thought these often showed up as physical deformities.

Leaders at Ellis Island

The U.S. Bureau of Immigration had fifteen commissioners. They oversaw immigration at the Port of New York and Ellis Island. The first twelve commissioners were chosen by the U.S. president. William Williams served twice.

1. 1890–1893 John B. Weber (Republican)
2. 1893–1897 Joseph H. Senner (Democrat)
3. 1898–1902 Thomas Fitchie (Republican)
4. 1902–1905 William Williams (Republican)
5. 1905–1909 Robert Watchorn (Republican)
6. 1909–1913 William Williams (Republican)
7. 1914–1919 Frederic C. Howe (Democrat)
8. 1920–1921 Frederick A. Wallis (Democrat)
9. 1921–1923 Robert E. Tod (Republican)
10. 1923–1926 Henry H. Curran (Republican)
11. 1926–1931 Benjamin M. Day (Republican)
12. 1931–1934 Edward Corsi (Republican)
13. 1934–1940 Rudolph Reimer (Democrat)

The last three commissioners were "district directors." This was a non-political job.

1. 1933–1942 Byron H. Uhl
2. 1942–1949 W. Frank Watkins
3. 1949–1954 Edward J. Shaughnessy

The Name-Change Myth

There is a common myth that immigrants were forced to change their names at Ellis Island. However, there are no historical records of this happening. Immigration officials used the names from the ship's passenger lists. These lists were the only official records. Records show that officials often corrected mistakes in names. Inspectors usually knew three languages. They were often assigned to immigrants who spoke the same languages.

Many immigrant families later changed their surnames themselves. This happened either soon after arriving or gradually as they settled into American culture. The average family changed their name five years after immigrating. The Naturalization Act of 1906 required documenting name changes. The myth of name changes at Ellis Island still exists. This is probably because people see the center as a very important and powerful place. It is also used in popular books and movies like The Godfather II.

Ellis Island Today

The National Park Service manages Ellis Island. The Jersey City Fire Department provides fire protection and medical services. In serious medical emergencies, a helicopter is available for transport.

The Immigration Museum and Wall of Honor

The Ellis Island Immigration Museum opened on September 10, 1990. It replaced the American Museum of Immigration on Liberty Island. The museum has exhibits on three floors of the main building. There is also an expansion into the kitchen-laundry building. The first floor has the main lobby, the Family Immigration History Center, and exhibits called Peopling of America and New Eras of Immigration. The second floor has the registry room, hearing room, and exhibits like Through America's Gate and Peak Immigration Years. The third floor has a dormitory room and exhibits like Restoring a Landmark, Silent Voices, Treasures from Home, and Ellis Island Chronicles. There are also changing exhibits. Three theaters show films and live performances. The third floor has a library and a place for oral histories. A gift shop and bookstore are on the ground floor.

In 2008, the museum's library was renamed the Bob Hope Memorial Library. This honored comedian Bob Hope, a famous immigrant. On May 20, 2015, the museum was officially renamed the Ellis Island National Museum of Immigration. This happened when new galleries opened on the first floor. These new exhibits tell the whole story of American immigration, including times before and after Ellis Island was used.

The Wall of Honor is outside the main building. It lists 775,000 names on 770 panels. These names include slaves, Native Americans, and immigrants not processed on the island. The Wall of Honor started in the late 1980s to help pay for the island's renovation. It first had 75,000 names. The wall opened in 1990. It was rebuilt in two stages between 1993 and 2001. The Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation charges a fee to add names. By 2019, the wall was almost full.

The National Park Service offers educational programs. These include self-guided tours and role-playing activities. These programs reach over 650,000 students yearly. They aim to encourage discussion and understanding.

The South Side of the Island

The south side of the island, where the Ellis Island Immigrant Hospital is, is abandoned. It has not been renovated. Disagreements about its use have stopped any development for decades. In 1981, the NPS held a competition for ideas. A plan for a conference center and a hotel was chosen. In 1985, the Interior Secretary looked into how to use the south side. The hotel plan was dropped in 1986 due to lack of money. The NPS allowed a developer to try to build a convention center. But he could not find investors. The south side was still considered for future development in the late 1990s.

Save Ellis Island has led efforts to preserve the south side. The ferry building is only partly open to the public. As part of a National Park Service plan, the south side was to be restored. This included 28 buildings that had not been fixed.

In 2014, the NPS started offering guided "Hard Hat Tours" of the south side. There is an extra fee for these tours. The money helps Save Ellis Island's preservation work. The south side also has an art exhibit called "Unframed – Ellis Island." It features murals by French street artist JR. These murals show figures who would have been in the hospital buildings.

Cultural Impact

Honors and Commemorations

The Ellis Island Medal of Honor is given each year to American citizens. This includes both those born in the U.S. and those who became citizens. The award honors people who have done great things within their own ethnic groups. They must also show American values. Past winners include U.S. presidents, world leaders, and Nobel Prize winners. The USPS issued an Ellis Island stamp on February 3, 1998. This was part of the Celebrate the Century stamp series.

Historical Designations

Ellis Island has been part of the Statue of Liberty National Monument since 1965. This monument also includes the Statue of Liberty and Liberty Island. Ellis Island has been on the National Register of Historic Places since 1966. It has also been on the New Jersey Register of Historic Places since 1971. The main building's interior became a New York City designated landmark in 1993. The entire island became a New York City historic district at the same time. In 2017, it was placed on UNESCO's list of possible World Heritage Sites.

See also

In Spanish: Isla Ellis para niños

• Central Railroad of New Jersey Terminal, in Jersey City, where immigrants went after Ellis Island
• Geography of New York-New Jersey Harbor Estuary
• List of Ellis Island immigrants – (Famous people who came through)
• New York City Landmarks on Islands
• National Register of Historic Places listings in Hudson County, New Jersey
• National Register of Historic Places listings in New York County, New York