Ellis Island

Ellis Island was the first designated Federal immigration station for the United States in 1890, and for a period of over 60 years served as the immigration gateway to America for over 12 million immigrants. Ellis Island served as a checkpoint where immigrants were subjected to health testing, and checks on their legal standing in their country of origin. Many of the people that came to America to improve their lives, either due to financial hardship or to start life over with the promise of better opportunities, made stop at Ellis Island for processing before being allowed entry to the United States. The walls of the facility of Ellis Island have literally heard the stories of millions of people, and just about every family that came through New York has a story of the island. Today, Ellis Island is open to the public, and there are guided tours that show the facility, as well as explain some of the history of how things worked, and some of the stories of immigrants that passed through. There is also the Ellis Island Immigration Museum, which receives nearly 2 million visitors yearly, with exhibits detailing the storied past of this important landmark in American history.

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