What is Ellis Island?
Ellis Island is an island in the upper area of the New York Bay, near the mouth of the Hudson River. The historical uses of Ellis Island have been varied, but it is most remembered for the time it served as an immigration processing center, from 1892-1954. It is estimated that over 12 million immigrants went through Ellis Island on their way to the United States, and 40% of Americans can trace ancestors to Ellis Island. Before it was an immigration station, Ellis Island was known as Gull Island to the Native American people who lived in the area. The Dutch used the island to harvest oysters, and sold it to Samuel Ellis in 1785. Ellis gave the island his name and opened a tavern there, and when the island was bought by the State of New York, the name remained the same. In 1808, the state sold the island to the federal government, which initially established a military fort and munitions storage there. In 1890, faced with the growing difficulty of processing immigrants at Castle Garden i
Ellis Island is a symbol of America’s immigrant heritage. From 1892 to 1954, this immigrant depot processed the greatest number of incoming people in the nation’s history. Nearly twelve million landed to Ellis Island in their search of freedom of speech and religion, and for economic opportunity. Ellis Island is located at the mouth of the Hudson River in New York Harbor. During the late 19th and early 20th centuries this was the main immigration port for immigrants entering the United States. The island is largely artificially created through landfill process. It has an official land area of 129,619 square meters, or 32.03 acres, more than 83 percent of which lies in the city of Jersey City. The natural portion of the island lying in New York City, is 21,458 square meters. The name came from local farmer and merchant, Samuel Ellis. Samuel Ellis was a colonial New Yorker from Wales who owned the island during the late 1700s and kept a tavern, serving sailors and local fishermen.
If you want to see if your ancestors came to America through Ellis Island you can search for their names for free here http://www.ellisisland.org/
