History & Culture
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Welcome to Ellis Island! From 1892 to 1924, Ellis Island was America's largest and most active immigration station, where over 12 million immigrants were processed. On average, the inspection process took approximately 3-7 hours. For the vast majority of immigrants, Ellis Island truly was an "Island of Hope" - the first stop on their way to new opportunities and experiences in America. For the rest, it became the "Island of Tears" - a place where families were separated and individuals were denied entry into this country. Meet some of the millions of "PEOPLE" who make up the story of Ellis Island - not just the immigrants seeking new lives in a new land, but also the workers who kept Ellis Island running! Ellis Island has a long history of use by humans, even before the immigration station was built, and after it closed. The "PLACES" in Ellis Island's timeline will show you how people have utilized this speck of land in New York Harbor for hundreds of years. The park's extensive "COLLECTIONS" help us learn about the histories of both Ellis and Liberty Islands through tangible objects. Here are more resources to learn more about immigration. A Bibliography of books about Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty. |
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This Week in Ellis Island History
U.S. Immigration Statistics and Population
Did You Know?
Although most immigrants processed at Ellis Island stayed between three and five hours, about 20% stayed overnight in dormitory rooms until their cases could be cleared. Many immigrants found these accommodations a far improvement from the dreaded conditions of traveling to America in "steerage".