For more than 60 years Ellis Island was used as a United States immigration station. More than 12 million immigrants were reviewed by the facility. In 2001, the American Family Immigration History Center was opened on Ellis Island. This family research facility offers its visitors computer and multimedia technology, and professional assistance in performing family history and genealogical research. The project is sponsored by the National Parks Service and the Statue of Liberty National Monument.
Ellis Island is a small island located in New York Harbor. It is approximately 1 mile southwest of Manhattan. Nearby is Liberty Island, the location of the Statue of Liberty. In 1965, Ellis Island became part of the Statue of Liberty National Monument. To reach Ellis Island ferry transportation is available from Battery Park in New York, and Liberty State Park in New Jersey, through Statue Cruises.
Ellis Island was known by several different names. It was called Kioshk by local Native Americans. They also called it Gull Island, for its plentiful oyster beds and shad runs. Dutch and English colonialists referred to it as Oyster Island. It was also called Bucking, Dyre and Anderson's Island. In the 1770s, Samuel Ellis became the owner of the island, hence the name Ellis Island.
Ellis Island became the property of the United States government in 1808. By that time, the island was owned by the state of New York, and the United States government wanted to fortify the harbor and needed the island. It was purchased from New York state, and Fort Gibson was built on the site. On the island, the federal government built a parapet with three levels of circular guns for harbor defense. The fort was named in honor of an officer who had been killed during the War of 1812.
The Bureau of Immigration began using the island as a reception center for immigrants in 1892. First and second class passengers coming into the country were not required to be reviewed at Ellis Island; they were typically processed while still on the boat. In 1924, many of the immigration duties were transferred to New York City, and the area was then used primarily as an immigration station and detention center for hostile aliens. The facility was closed in 1954.
On June 12, 1897, a fire destroyed the immigration station, burning it to the ground. There were no lives lost, but federal and state immigration records were lost, dating back to 1855. The facility was rebuilt, but all future structures were required to be fireproof. The Main Building was opened on December 17, 1900. During that first day of being reopened, more than 2,200 immigrants were received.
